Four
by peaceloveart
Summary: "Once, there was a prophecy. A prophecy about the four who would vanquish the evil and fear in our world with their magic. The four who held onto the few pieces of humanity we had left; kindness, belief, love and fun. Don't you see how important you are to our world?" The witch asked. Anna and Kristoff stared. "She left out the nearly dying every day part." Jack muttered to Elsa.
1. Meeting

"Arendelle, though truthfully very small, can seem huge when stuck in a carriage. However, it is our duty to travel to every village in our borders, and you must learn about your people, Elsa. Besides, you might even enjoy yourself!" The king had told his daughter. That wasn't what he said in Elsa mind however. His words were more along the lines of, "You're coming on a ride of boredom, torture, and lots of smiling whether you like it or not! Won't it be fun?!"

It wasn't fun. Not at all.

It was long and incredibly dull, and the _smiling_. Oh god, the smiling. To practically every person she had met, a smile. And it was fake, of course, always fake. She didn't have much reason to grin, except when Anna spilled punch on Lord Silph. That had been funny.

But, besides that, every year it was the same thing. The same excited crowds. The same nerve-racking feelings whenever she had to shake hands. The same towns filled with people who didn't know a thing about her. What would those people think if they knew the truth? About her family? About her powers?

Elsa knew she was quite intelligent for her age and that she was pretty. But it didn't matter, because after the month was over . . . she was shut back into her room. All because of an accident. All because of her powers.

The accident had definitely changed the kingdom of Arendelle. The only time the people even caught a glimpse of the royal family, was on their annual trip throughout the country. Four days in each town that was inside Arendelle's borders. More than a month away from the castle and, because of the time it took to travel, the royal family barely got home in time for Elsa's birthday.

She didn't really mind. It wasn't as if she had any friends to play with, she barely got to see even Anna anyway. Her birthday was on the last day of December, Anna's was on the first day of spring. Elsa's celebration was now two weeks away. The family would barely make it back in time, because of the new town that had been established not too long ago.

Elsa was very enthusiastic about the new town, even if it might make her miss her birthday celebration. After all, it was something _new_, something _exciting_. And maybe, just maybe, she would meet someone her age, someone who would talk to her as if she were another child from the village, not an heir to a throne.

Her mind thought for a second before remembering what the town was called. Burgess. It was called Burgess. And from what she knew, the town had been brought together by several groups of people that had gone to Arendelle looking for a better life.

Elsa shifted in her private carriage, which was right behind the King and Queen's coach where Anna was riding. The windows were probably even thrown open, even though it was winter. Elsa's carriage, however, had the curtains drawn and seemed to have a silent air around it.

A sudden jostle of the coach caused Elsa to slide to the left hitting the wall, then back to the right, slamming her against the other wall. "Ow." she muttered. That had hurt.

The carriage suddenly stopped. The young princesses quickly sat up straight, praying that they had reached their destination. A gentle knock rang on the coach door. "Hello?" she asked warily.

"Princess, we're here." Elsa grinned in relief, pulled on her blue gloves, and stepped outside once the door was opened. The coachman and the Queen stood by the opening. The coachmen quickly gave Elsa a nod of his bald head before tending to the horses. The Queen smiled down at her eldest daughter and walked towards the larger carriage, knowing that Elsa would follow. Elsa, however, took a moment and blinked her icy blue eyes from the sudden light of the sun before trailing after her mother.

As she walked to the coach that her family had ridden in, Elsa saw her father emerge from behind the carriage, holding Anna in his arms. She felt a small stab of jealousy, but quickly regretted ever feeling it. Papa had held her like that too when she was younger, before everything had changed.

Anna's face brightened when she saw Elsa and she beamed at her older sister. Elsa weakly smiled back, suddenly feeling shy. Anna whispered something in her father's ear, he hesitated then put her down. The younger girl immediately ran to where Elsa stood.

"Hi!" she whispered her bright blue eyes shining at her sister.

"Ummm . . . Hello?" The older girl said cocking her head a little. Anna grinned at this and decided to continue.

"So have you seen the town?" she said in a hushed voice, as if sharing a secret. Elsa shook her head as a response, wondering if Anna had noticed the curtains on the windows of her coach. "Come on then! It's very . . . quaint." Anna said, proud of her vocabulary, which was quite good for a child of eight years. She took one of her sister's hands, Elsa stiffened, but let her sister drag her to the other side of the carriage. The nine year old glanced back at her parents, who were both pale, but nodded to her. Anna pulled her sister around the carriage to catch her first glimpse at the town of Burgess.

Elsa gasped when she saw the town. Anna was right it _was_ rather charming, in a small, cozy kind of way. Though rather little, the village had a homey and calm air around it, causing Elsa to relax in a way that surprised her.

Several people had come out of their houses to look at the carriages and were surprised to see two pretty faces meeting their gazes with kind eyes. "Come on! Let's explore!" Anna squealed and she dragged her sister to discover the young town.

They traveled up and down the Burgess, looking at every alleyway, and peeking at everything they thought would be respectful to peek at. From what Elsa quickly gathered, the houses, shops, and other buildings surrounded a main square, which the largest of all the buildings overlooked. The middle of the town was paved with cobblestones, and housed the wealthier of the townspeople, while in the outskirts, the roads were dirt, and the houses were usually a single room.

This didn't surprise either of the girls. Most villages were composed this way however the one thing that _did_ get their attention, was the fact that they hadn't seen a single child. Young couples, yes. A few aged people, yes. Even several dogs, but no children at all.

"So much for friends . . ." Elsa mumbled then quickly wished she hadn't. Anna looked at her with wide eyes.

"You were hoping for that _too?!_" She asked, looking at her older sister who blushed a little. Elsa tucked a piece of her platinum hair behind her ear before replying.

"I do get a little lonely." Elsa responded quietly. Anna blinked, clearly surprised.

"You weren't the only one." Anna said with a sad smile, but quickly her perky self-returned. "There's still a few more alleyways we haven't looked at. We still have an hour to spend before we have to be at that big building . . ." Anna prompted, Elsa hesitated before answering.

"Fine, but if we get in trouble I'm blaming you." She answered. Being with Anna was much easier than she first thought. It was nice to just spend time with her younger sister, but if they were late . . .

"Oh. Come on!" Anna laughed, then she quickly turned, and began to skip to another alley, her green dress making a _swishing _sound as she did so. The older girl immediately followed, hoping they wouldn't run into any trouble.

In a matter of seconds, Anna had found them a nice, new alleyway to poke around in. Elsa examined the narrow space, while Anna watched a small kitten though one of the house windows. Elsa wasn't interested in watching through other peoples' windows, so she made her way to the end of the small passageway. But before Elsa could turn the corner, something _very_ hard ran into her.

"_Ow!_" Two voices cried out in unison. Elsa sat on the cold ground rubbing her head, and a boy her age sitting across from her was doing the same thing.

"Oh, Elsa are you okay?!" Anna cried running up to her sister, concern on her face. Her dress still making the _swishy _sound.

"I'm fine." Elsa replied standing up and glancing at the boy who had also stood. He was wearing worn clothes and was barefoot. Messy brown hair combined with a mischievous smile made her slightly nervous. But it was his eyes that caught her attention. They were a chocolate brown with flecks of gold in them. The boy opened his mouth as if to say something, but a voice rang out and he whipped around,

"Oi, Jack!" and another boy ran into the alleyway. His blond hair nearly hid his coffee-colored eyes. And he was tall for someone near her age. His clothes seemed thicker than the 'Jack' boy's clothes, looking more like wool than cotton. He also wore shoes, cloth boots. 'Jack', whipped around to face the newcomer.

"Err-, hey, Kristoff." the Jack replied. Kristoff stopped dead when he saw the two girls, and he glanced at Jack with a look that said, _Explain now._

"Uh . . . Hi, I think . . ." Anna said, also examining the two boys. Jack cocked his head and Kristoff gave a small wave.

"Err . . . Hello?" Jack said looking at the little red-head then he turned to Elsa. "Sorry, for running into you." he said, offering an apology. He did look slightly embarrassed.

"It's fine." She told him, still wondering why the two boys were running around anyway. There was an awkward pause and before anyone could say anything else, a voice yelled out, "_Jackson Overland! Kristoff Bjorgman!_ I _know_ it was you! Where are you?!" Jack gulped and Kristoff seemed to pale.

"We're dead . . ." Kristoff said, and the sisters glanced at him confused while Jack glared at him.

"No, we're not." Jack countered.

"Yeah we are . . ."

"What kind of talk is that?"

"Realistic." the blond boy said. The woman's angry voice rang out again, but this time closer than before. The girls were watching, both slightly amused, but they weren't as entertained when Jack turned to them with a glint in his eye.

"How fast can you run?"

* * *

**A/N: Okay, I'm pretty much rewriting this story. Not like-**_**changing **__**it**_**\- just wording it differently at some parts, cause I honestly didn't like how several of the chapters were written, and so . . . Anyway, I hoped you liked it! The first five chapters are really just introducing the main plot, developing characters, stuff like that, but they are **_**vital**_**. **

**Quote: **_**"When we first met, I had no idea you would be so important to me."**_** Unknown.**

**Remember, I love your reviews, and knowing what you think! Until chapter two-**

**-PLA**


	2. To Know

In Jack's defense, he really didn't mean to freeze the well. It was purely an accident, since he was still learning to control his powers, but still, freezing the main water supply was _most certainly_ a coincidence. However, to his mother, it wasn't an accident at all. Lucky for him and Kristoff, they escaped before she had grabbed their ears.

After making several right turns and nearly crashing into an old cart horse, Jack had hit heads with the eldest princess of Arendelle. He must admit that he was shocked when both girls had run after him and Kristoff. Of course, a safe place to be at that moment was the pond, so that was where they had headed.

The pond was a little ways from the town on the top of a large hill, only several minutes away, enough time for people to come running if a scream was heard. But, the pond was also surrounded by thick woods, and specifically a huge tulip poplar that overlooked Burgess. The pond was also a place where the children would frequently play. After all, they couldn't be seen, therefore they couldn't get in too much trouble for climbing trees. At the moment, most of the children should've been up there, playing and avoiding their parents, frantic with the arrival of the royal family.

Most of the adults had immediately started with preparations, while the kids helped here and there while trying to stay out of the way at the same time. Eventually, the grown-ups had just sent the children off, as they were mostly just messing around.

But Jack's mother had sent him and Kristoff to fetch a bucket of water from the well, but the second his hands had touched the rope . . . well, the water froze solid. Not too long after that, he ran into the princesses.

All of these thoughts went through the young boy's mind as he raced up the hill. Jack sped up. He_ did not_ want another speech for being reckless. And he was surprised when the girls quickened and kept pace with him. Not many people could. And not many people could stop as suddenly as he could without running into the person in front of them.

"Oh, hey . . . Rebecca . . ." he said trying_ really, really_ hard not to lose his temper. Rebecca Wellington. She was _really_ the last person he wanted to see.

"Hi, Jack. What are youdoing?" she asked sweetly. Her waist-long, ebony hair blew into his face and he batted it away with his hand.

"Ummmmm . . . Oh, you know the usual . . ." he glanced back at the girls and Kristoff. Elsa's blue eyes met his and she nudged the oldest boy. Kristoff gave Elsa a _'Thanks-for-nothing'_ glare, and she stepped on his toes.

"Owwwkay . . . err . . . we were . . . taking the princesses on . . . a tour!" He said while the other three shot glares at him. Elsa glanced at Rebecca, and her eyes met the dark green orbs of the other girl.

Elsa didn't know why she didn't like Rebecca, but something irritated her when she was standing next to the girl. Anna took a look at her sister, back to Rebecca, and back to her sister. For some reason the young girl was already quite good at reading her sister's body language, and she could tell from the boys' postures too, that Rebecca was a nuisance.

"Yes, Kristoff was taking us on a tour of your town, it is really quite nice, but we would like to continue it, right?" Anna said, quickly catching on. Rebecca sniffed at this and frowned.

"Well, surely _I_ can help lead you around . . ." she offered glancing at Jack as she said it. Elsa decided to cut in.

"Thank you, but we've seen almost all of the town already. And since I_ was_ with my parents earlier, and you know how we royals like to make new acquaintances, I _swear_ I heard that Jack's mother was looking for you earlier. Something about Jack's birthdayor something . . ." Elsa told the pale girl, taking a step closer and whispering the last sentence in her ear so only Rebecca could hear. Jack heard too, but didn't say a thing.

"Oh! Well then I should be going, then!" she said hastily. Then she gave a small curtsy to Elsa and Anna, nodded to Kristoff, smiled at Jack, and quickly walked towards the town. Jack waited until she was out of earshot to say anything.

"How did _you_ know _my_ birthday was coming up? He asked looking at her in shock. Elsa seemed surprised then shrugged.

"I didn't."

"Well you two are better liars than I'll ever be . . ." Kristoff sighed. Anna patted his shoulder. The blond rolled his eyes and turned back to Elsa and Jack.

"So . . . what were two high class royals doing in an alley?" Jack asked the two girls.

"That depends . . . why were _you_ running down alleyways with an angry woman yelling after you?" Elsa replied crossing her arms. Jack shrugged and glanced at Kristoff, who suddenly found the tulip poplar _very_ interesting. Traitor.

"Can't say" he said, giving his friend a glare. Elsa looked at Anna, who nodded.

"We were exploring and looking for someone to talk too, but we're not supposed to go into the back alleys, so don't say anything." She said.

"And if I _do_ say anything . . ." he challenged with a grin. Elsa raised an eyebrow.

"Then I'll just go get Rebecca and tell her that I was _positive_ that I heard something about _you_ liking her . . ." Jack looked at her, shocked, while Anna and Kristoff burst into laughter.

Jack, did _not _want _that_ of all things, to happen. Simply since he could hardly stand Rebecca already, and her thinking that _he_ liked her would just be torture. He could barely handle Kristoff's teasing as it was.

"Youwouldn't."

"Oh, I _would_ . . . Oh! Look! Here she comes now!" Elsa said excitedly, looking down the hill with a small grin. He quickly glanced back towards town. Rebecca had walked to the first houses, when she suddenly glanced back, and waved when she noticed Jack and the princess were looking at her. Elsa waved back, but glanced at Jack smugly.

"That wasn't funny." He said over Anna and Kristoff's laughs.

"It was a little funny." She replied grinning.

"Wow, rebels and liars for princesses . . ." Jack said shaking his head. Elsa smiled and walked back over to where Anna and Kristoff were standing, having recovered from their laughing fits.

"So, as we are on a tour," Kristoff said changing the subject. "Welcome to the pond!" He gestured towards the pool grandly. The pond was gorgeous. The ground was covered in frost and the pond had frozen over. The forest trees were enclosed in ice, and in the distance one could hear the ice breaking off tree limbs, and crashing to the ground. Elsa glanced up, and saw that the poplar they were standing under was also enclosed in the frozen water. Before she could suggest they move, Jack began to talk.

"Let us introduce ourselves _without_ the screaming women, who happens to be my mother, please don't ask. My name's Jack and this is Christopher!" Jack said walking over to the other boy and putting an arm around his friend's shoulder. The blond rolled his eyes.

"Well, it's a gratification to meet your acquaintances, Jack and _Kristoff. _I'm Anna and this my older sister Elsa." Both boys stared at her, impressed with her long words. Elsa grinned, knowing that one of the books her father liked to read to Anna was the large dictionary in the royal library.

"You remembered all those words that Papa said to you?"

"Mmm, yes. He even calls me a Dictionary sometimes." Anna wrinkled her nose at her sister.

"But still, you remembered _all_ of those words, Dictionary?" Elsa teased.

"_Please_, tell me that you're not calling me that for the rest of the day!" Anna gasped. Elsa feigned a look of innocence and Jack chuckled at the older girl.

"Not bad,_ Princess_ . . ." He said grinning evilly at her.

"Oh, you _cannot _be calling me that." She answered stunned. He gave her another grin.

"Why not? You're a princess, aren't you?" He added. Before Elsa could reply, a sharp _crack_ echoed through the air. A horrible thought came into Elsa's mind, and she looked up.

A long tree limb that had been hanging overhead now had a long fracture in the ice that had been covering it. Another fissure appeared, then the frozen water let go of its hold on the tree. It fell down with blinding speed. Instinctively, Elsa's hands shot over her head, and her eyes snapped shut.

A shattering sound filled the air, and Elsa slowly opened her eyes before letting out a terrified gasp.

In the space between Elsa and Jack, a huge pillar seemed to come out of the ground. At the top, an enormous platform came out of it, and they could see remnants that was once the falling ice. It had been shattered into millions of pieces and not one of them was hurt. But Elsa was terrified. As the pillar and platform were her creations.

The others were staring at her, and Elsa couldn't understand their expressions. Her gloved hands were shaking and her eyes were wide and horrified. "I-I didn't mean too, honest! I guess it just happened, but I didn't mean to do anything! I swear I-"

"You're like me." Jack interrupted, his voice came out surprisingly strong. Anna and Kristoff switched their gazes from the princess to Jack. Elsa froze, thinking she had misheard him.

"What?" she whispered.

Wordlessly he walked around the ice, that had begun to sink back into the ground, and stood in front of her. Then extending his arm he held out his hand, palm up. And an icy snowflake hovered over his hand while Elsa stared at him in shock, and he returned a look of amazement right back to her.

She couldn't say anything. She could barely even think. She glanced at Anna and Kristoff who were grinning, and she wondered how they could be so happy. Kristoff hardly even knew her. And Anna. How could Anna be so excited for a sister that she rarely saw? Then Jack. She didn't know this boy. They just met, but now, because fate would have it, he was like her.

She glanced up at him through her eyelashes. He was still standing there, his eyes on her face.

Then with her hands shaking, Elsa took off a glove and held out her arm, palm up. Making a snowflake of her own.

* * *

**A/N: I **_**loved **_**the reviews guys, seriously, thanks. Anywho, **_**the secret has been revealed**_**! What will happen next . . . .**

**Quote:**_** "Do you ever wonder why things have to turn out the way the way they do?"**_** Unknown. **

**-PLA**


	3. Truth

Hundreds of questions were doing cartwheels and somersaults in Elsa's head. Everything was a blizzard, thoughts weaving in and out of each other, swirling around and around. Jack seemed to be far calmer, keeping his eyes on her face, but really he was in a similar state of mind. All both could really manage to do was stare at each other in shock.

Anna and Kristoff weren't confused at all, however. Kristoff had seen magic, he had felt it. Elsa had had the same aura around her that Jack had. It was definitely different, hers was quiet, like the sea before a storm, while Jack's more free and wild. But both had that atmosphere of power, magic. Kristoff had felt it as soon as she had stood next to him.

Anna, on the other hand, had never known anything like the thing in front of her. But she knew immediately, that Elsa's powers were the reason that a shut door had been her biggest problem for what seemed like eons.

"Three words; door, closed, explain." She said stomping up to Elsa and Jack, who were still staring. But Anna's words brought Elsa back into reality, along with a huge amount of guilt.

"Oh . . . it's . . . um . . . I-I can't exactly explain it, but I can show you . . ." She stammered, not being able to look at Anna.

"Show me?" the young girl asked, raising an eyebrow, more curious than angry.

"Well . . . I . . ." Elsa turned to Jack for help. He knew what she was thinking. She wanted to create an image. Images were tricky to make, Jack remembered when he tried to show Kristoff one the first time. Jack had tried to conjure up the image of a herd of deer he had seen.

He had been on a small walk when he'd stumbled upon a small herd of the animals. For a moment none of them had moved, then they all ran at once. Bucks, does, fawns, all surged as one being, and it had been incredible.

But when Jack tried to show this to Kristoff the image had been distorted and the colors blurred together. And that was before the whole thing had blown up into millions of miniscule snowflakes. Images were tricky . . . but he nodded to her.

Elsa took a small breath, and pulled off her other glove. Raising both hands, thousands of snowflakes came together to show a picture frozen in time.

It was of Anna. When Elsa's magic had hit her.

"Why wasn't yours that good?" Kristoff said breaking the silence. Jack threw a snowball at him before answering.

"I tried to make mine moving! This is just a picture!" the boy protested. The girls didn't hear them, as they were in deep conversation.

"I don't remember that . . ." Anna whispered.

"You weren't supposed to . . . We took you to the trolls, and they replaced your memories with ones without the magic . . . After that, Mama and Papa decided to . . . well keep me . . . I'm so sorry . . ." Elsa was on the verge of tears. Anna looked at her sister and gave her a hug. Jack and Kristoff stopped their argument and glanced at the sisters, but before they could do anything, a voice rang out.

"Elsa! Anna! Where are you?" Both girls jumped at their father's voice. Elsa quickly waved a hand in front of the image and it dissolved. She glanced at Jack, and he knew that she wanted to meet again tomorrow.

"Here. After breakfast." Jack said to Elsa before he and Kristoff ran into the woods, seeming to blend into the shadows as they did. Elsa looked after the boys. Part of her wanted to follow and see the woods, the animals, and the life hiding there. The other part hung back, afraid.

"Elsa!" Anna hissed and she snapped out of her trance. The older girl quickly turned to her younger sister. "You know he likes you." Anna said as she handed Elsa her gloves.

"Uh-huh . . ." Elsa replied absent-mindedly, still digesting what had just happened. Then she froze. "Wait! What?!" All of her attention now on Anna. Her little sister sniggered and skipped back down the hill to the town. "No, Anna what did you say?!" Elsa called after her, running back towards town.

"Oh, nothing imperative . . ." Anna replied, a little _too_ happily for Elsa. Impera-what?

They raced back towards Burgess, Anna all the way not repeating what she had said. By the time the two young girls had gotten back to the main hall, Elsa had given up on trying to figure out what _imperative _meant.

"So what does imperative mean?" Elsa gasped when they had reached the large building. Anna rolled her eyes before replying,

"It means of extreme importance and he does, trust me."

"When did _you_ become a love expert?" Elsa countered. Anna smiled at her sister innocently,

"Oh, it's _love_ now?"

"No! Anna! I met him what . . . something like an hour ago!"

"It's meant to be! I'm _positive_!"

"Really, I thought you were Anna?" the older sister said smirking. Anna glared at her sister.

"You weren't denying it . . ." she teased. That was as far as the sisters got, as their father had appeared in the doorway.

"What did you two do this evening?" he inquired cheerfully, "Explore the town?"

"Yes, sir!" Elsa replied with obedience. The king noted that his daughter looked happier than she had before they came to Burgess.

"Good . . . Did you go into back alleys at all?"

"No, Papa!" Anna cried out, as if the idea was silly. Their father looked at them closely. Something had changed them . . . Their eyes seemed brighter and their voices lighter . . . But what could have- A sudden yell caused the king to start. Elsa and Anna winced.

"Jackson Overland! And Kristoff don't even _think_ about going anywhere! You two can clean up after dinner for that!" A series of footsteps followed by a slamming door echoed through the town. Not long after that two boys streaked by and both stopped when they realized who they'd run past.

"Hi . . . We were going this way . . . to get some plates . . . err, your majesty . . ." Kristoff said, while Jack glanced back towards the main building, as if he were scared that someone would be stomping after him. The king had gone into scary mode, and had his arms crossed. The girls, who were behind their father, were shaking their heads vigorously.

"What did you two do?" the monarch asked. Jack thought for a moment before answering. In fact, he had forgotten to tell Elsa and Anna about the well he had froze . . .

"We dropped the best plates we had, so we're in deep trouble." Jack said instantly. The king raised an eyebrow,

"Plates? All that commotion over plates? Must have been some very special plates. Plates, indeed . . ."

"They were from Oplan! The best plate-making-country, if I do say so myself. Well, the shards were from Oplan anyway . . ." Jack said with a solemn tone. Elsa had to bite her tongue hard to keep from laughing.

"Clever young fellow . . . very well, then go get the replacements, even though dinner has already been served . . ." Anna giggled at this and Elsa grinned at the boys. Jack gave Elsa a small glare, before nodding to the king. "Carry on then!" the king continued. Jack nodded and elbowed Kristoff and both took off, kicking up snow in their wake.

"I would prefer it if you did not be in the company of those boys." He added, directing it to the girls, as Jack and Kristoff ran into one of the cabins that lay on the outskirts of town.

Elsa covered Anna's mouth before her little sister could mention_ anything_. And with that the king walked back into the main hall to join his wife, leaving the girls to cast glances at the house where Kristoff and Jack had disappeared, little did they know the boys were looking right back.

* * *

Kristoff gave a small sigh as Anna walked inside and Elsa following suite. "I really have to start working on my lying skills . . ."

"Yeah they're pretty awful . . ." Jack replied and his friend gave him a glare.

"What?! It's true!" He said as Kristoff rolled his eyes again. They were in Jack's house, as Kristoff didn't live in a house. He lived in the orphanage. Another fact the boys forgot to mention. How many did they forget? A sudden stomping of feet made both boys turn around. Jack's mother stood there with her arms crossed.

"Jackson, care to explain?"

"I _barely_ touched it I swear! And I should _not_ be sent to fetch the water! It _never_ ends well!" he protested as his mother sighed and tucked several loose strands of her brown hair behind her ear. Then she walked over to a small bed near the fireplace and picked up a tiny child that had been sleeping.

The little girl opened her brown eyes and squealed when she saw her mother. Her happiness making both older boys crack a smile. Jack's little sister, Emma, was born right before his father had died when royal guards had killed him, because of an underpaid tax.

That was why they had left the Southern Isles and decided to go to Arendelle. The Overlands were surprised at the kindness there, and when Jack's mother got a chance to work at the town Burgess as a seamstress, she took the offer. And here they were.

"Hello, Ms. Emma. How are you?" Jack's mother cooed. The boy rolled his eyes at his mother, she didn't miss it though.

"You won't become like your no good big brother now will you, Ms. Emma." She continued smiling at her son as she said it.

"Hey!" Jack protested. Kristoff chuckled at his friend and looked around the small cabin.

It had two beds, one for Mrs. Overland and the other for Emma. Jack slept on the ground in a pile of blankets. It must have been comfortable, because Kristoff had heard men ask Jack if he would like them to make him a bed, and he always said no. There was also a table with two chairs around it and stool for Emma. The table held Mrs. Overland's latest work. Jack always told his mother she was the best seamstress in Arendelle, and Kristoff was pretty sure it was true.

Her latest creation was a dress for the lord's wife. It was green with yellow around the edges. The embroidery was flawless along with the design.

"Well, boys I must be going. You two also, if you want dinner."

"Mrs. Overland?" Kristoff asked as she was halfway through the door, with Emma in her arms.

"Yes, Kristoff?" she inquired looking back at him with a twinkle in her eye.

"You _were_ kidding when you said we had to clean up after dinner, right?"

"No, come along!" she answered cheerfully. Both boys sighed and followed her.

* * *

**A/N: Oplanese plates are expensive.**

**Quote: "**_**Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: "What! You too? I thought I was the only one." **_**C.S. Lewis. (I love you Narnia!) **

**-PLA**


	4. A Goodbye

"We're going to get caught!" Elsa protested, as Anna dragged her sister through the town. Anna rolled her eyes before replying.

"Oh, we'll be fine, and_ if_ we get caught, I'll let you take the blame."

"Why me?"

"You never break the rules, so they'll probably take it easier on you."

"What do you mean "never"? I'm breaking them right now." The older girl told her sister.

"How?"

"Papa. Last night. 'I would prefer it if you did not be in the company of those boys.' Remember?" Elsa asked, hoping her sister did.

"Yes, I do and he said he would_ prefer_ it. He didn't say we_ couldn't_ be in their company. Besides, they can't have _that_ bad of an influence on us . . ." Anna replied as they reached the bottom of the hill.

"To be honest, I don't think your father likes me that much." Jack's voice wafted from the top of the hill. He and Kristoff ran down to where the girls were standing. "And what do you mean "bad influence"? How are we a bad influence?" he continued.

"You were just eavesdropping." Elsa offered crossing her arms.

"I _did_ give my_ honest_ thought of your father. He doesn't like us." He countered defensively.

"You _did_ lie to him . . . About plates . . ." She smirked at the boys. Kristoff's cheeks turned a light pink and he mumbled something under his breath.

"Well what could I do?! Kristoff himself said he was awful at lying!" Anna sniggered at Jack's statement, making Kristoff's cheeks turn redder.

"Sorry . . ." He mumbled.

"Aww, it's all right Christopher, we all mess up sometime. Even Ms. Princess." Jack said ruffling Kristoff's hair.

"Again with the name?" Elsa groaned. Kristoff grinned and Anna giggled.

"I think you like it. So, what do you guys want to do?" Jack asked looking at the other three. The princesses shrugged and Kristoff thought for a moment.

"Well I would like to avoid the well . . ." he said giving Jack a glare.

"It was an_ accident_! I didn't _mean_ to freeze it!" the other boy huffed.

"So,_ that_ was what you did!" Elsa said with a small shake of her head. Jack gave her an annoyed look.

"_Accident!_"

"Well, what else have you forgotten to tell us?" Anna sighed. Both boys thought for a moment before answering.

"I have a little sister . . ." Jack started then glanced at Kristoff who shrugged.

"I'm an orphan." A silence followed his statement, no one knowing what to say.

"Oh." Elsa replied, her voice finally breaking the quiet.

"Is it bad? Do you miss them? What happened?" Anna asked without thinking. Then she caught Elsa's look and regretted saying anything. Kristoff seemed surprised.

"Not really. Never really knew them. And all I can remember is a bunch of white light and screams. They were murdered, and I was moved down here with the orphanage, I'm originally from farther up north. People told me that my father was an ice harvester, and that he and my mother never really considered settling down until they had me. Not long after finally building a home, someone broke in, and well . . ." His voice trailed off into silence.

"Who broke in?" Anna asked.

"I've heard rumors that it was a witch, but that's crazy." He said with a shrug. Anna thought for another second, but before she could ask another question, Jack cut in.

"Let's talk about something else." Jack offered, seeing that the conversation had become rather uncomfortable for everyone. Elsa nodded in agreement.

"You have a little sister?" She asked, and Jack's face seemed to light up.

"Yep! Her name is Emma! Do you want to meet her?" He asked excitedly. Both girls nodded and Kristoff grinned. He was glad to get off the topic of being an orphan.

Jack led the three to the small cottage near the eastern outskirts of town. Then he put a finger to his lips and slowly opened the door to his home. In the center of the room his mother sat working. She was quite absorbed in her world of needles and stitching, as she didn't see the children through one of the four windows, each one on the four walls.

"Hello?" Jack whispered startling the woman a little, but she relaxed when she saw it was only her son. She didn't stay that way when she realized who was with him.

"Oh, your highnesses!" she whispered in surprise, quickly standing up and doing a curtsy. Elsa smiled softly and Anna gave a small excited wave. Jack's mother stared at her son, wondering how he had even met the girls.

"How's Emma?" Jack asked, breaking her thoughts.

"Sleeping . . . Would you like to see?" She asked the girls in a hushed voice. Both nodded and the woman led them to the small bed where the little girl was asleep.

Emma's head was barely poking out from the sheets, and the girls could only make out a few wispy brown hairs from the top of her head. Anna gasped when she saw the one-year-old and mouthed "Aww . . ."

Jack's mother chuckled at the younger freckled girl. Then suddenly remembered something and turned to her son.

"Oh, Jack! Rebecca was looking for you earlier . . . Something about playing house . . ." Jack's cheerful face turned into a look of horror, and Kristoff was a mirror image. A distant voice didn't help.

"Jack? Kristoff? We were wondering . . ." The boys blocked out the rest by covering their ears. Mrs. Overland and the girls tried to stifle their laughter, as to not wake up Emma.

"Come on! We have to go!" Jack hissed at the girls and he opened the door, gesturing for the others to go outside.

"Good-bye." Jack's mother said, before her son closed the doors. Immediately after the door was closed, the four new friends took off, running to the tulip poplar. Elsa was the first to speak when they had gotten back to the top of the hill.

"That dress your mother is working on is amazing!" Jack was surprised she had noticed it.

"Uhh, thanks?" he said cocking his head a little.

"Now all we have to worry about is your friend catching up to us . . ." she added with a grin.

"Two things: One, they don't come up here during the mornings, so we're good; Two, she is _not_ my friend!"

"Well then what is she?" Anna asked Jack. Kristoff spoke up before his friend could answer.

"She _wants_ to be more than friend . . ." Kristoff smirked.

"_I_ _don't_!" Jack answered icily. Then, after looking around, he motioned the others to follow him. The four went a little ways into the woods until they came upon a small glade. Trees blocked the town from sight, and the ground was littered with pine needles and snow that had fallen from the tree branches, making it a kind of carpet. The area was like a little room, a fallen log even acted as a bench.

Jack walked to the center of the glade, before turning around to face Elsa, while her younger sister and Kristoff walked towards the log. Elsa suddenly felt nervous when she saw the mischievous glint in Jack's eyes.

"Okay, Princess, have you tried to use your powers after the accident?"

"Before or after meeting you?" She asked without the answering the question. She also gave a small huff of annoyance at his nickname for her.

"Before."

"No."

"Well you will now. Try making something small." Kristoff and Anna sat down on a log to watch the two perform their magic. Elsa shrugged and extended her right arm. It was then that Jack noticed she hadn't been wearing gloves the entire time.

A small crocus seemed to bloom out of the young girl's hand, its fragile petals blowing in the breeze.

"Nice." Jack said with a nod. Then he thought for a moment.

"Try a . . . chess board!"

"A chess board?" Anna asked, somewhat befuddled.

"Why not?" Jack asked a little defensively. Kristoff rolled his eyes at his friend's fondness for the game.

Elsa concentrated a little and the crocus flattened, until it became a flat board, floating in front of Jack. Then, using her left hand, Elsa created the pieces. Some blue and the others white.

"Cool!" Kristoff said, and Jack grinned. Elsa gave a weak smile, then a voice suddenly rang out, causing her chess board to disappear in a flash.

"Elsa! Anna! Where are you? We have to leave! Urgent news from the palace, so we must go _now_!" the queen's voice echoed through the trees.

"Oh, we have to go!" Elsa cried in disappointment, wondering why something important _had_ to happen _now_. Anna jumped up, ran over to Jack, gave him a quick hug, ran back to Kristoff, and gave him a hug. Then she turned to her sister who had given Kristoff a hug then had hesitated in front of Jack. He offered her a hand, and she shook it gently.

"Not bad, Princess . . . Send letters, okay . . ." he whispered, so only she could hear. Elsa looked at him confused.

"How?" Jack grinned at her.

"You can turn a crocus into a chess board, creating flying letters probably won't be that hard."

"Well, how will they get to you?" She inquired tilting her head. He smile widened.

"They will . . . I least, I hope they will . . . See you next year." She hadn't even realized she had been holding his hand until he let go of hers. And with that Jack and Kristoff ran into the forest. Blending in with it, just like last time.

"Elsa? Anna? Where are you?" Their mother called again snapping Elsa out of it, but the voice was farther away, as the queen was heading back towards the town. Elsa thought about racing after her mother, but then noticed Anna standing by a tree, smirking.

"Meant to be, I'm telling you. You guys were holding hands!" She said sniggering.

"_That_ was an accident. We weren't paying attention." Elsa replied defensively.

"Sure it was. Now come on or Mama and Papa will get all _atrocious_!"

"Atrocious?"

"It means wicked, but they probably won't get that mad at us. Hence the word probably, so come on!" Both girls sprinted back to the town, dodging people, animals, and several carts. When they finally made it to the crowd, they were slightly out of breath.

Their father and mother stood in front of the carriages waving to the gathering, though not that big. Both of them had worried faces until they saw their daughters racing through the crowd, which made way for them.

Elsa reached the carriage and her father frowned at her hands, but quickly hid his disappointment with a smile.

_If only you knew . . ._ Elsa thought.

"Your carriage is in the back, Elsa." She nodded, but before she left she looked back at the crowds of people. It was slightly difficult to make out much, since all of the different faces and clothing had made a sea of color, but Elsa was able to make out several faces.

She saw Anna racing towards them. And she saw Rebecca with her friends, whispering something amongst themselves. Probably something about her, and it was probably something atrocious.

She saw Mrs. Overland with a cute little baby, who Elsa guessed was Emma. Then she saw Kristoff waving at her with Jack next to him, staring at her. She felt her eyes meet his, and she nodded to him. This made the brown-eyed boy grin and wave.

Several of the other village children cast Jack and Kristoff confused and jealous looks, but they didn't notice.

"You know, something's changed." Anna gasped quietly when she reached her older sister. Elsa smiled at her and started to make her way to her carriage in the back.

But she was going to have the windows open this time, because Anna was right.

Something had changed.

* * *

**A/N: I loved doing this chapter! Anyway, I just want to make it clear that the Four **_**keep in contact!**_** That's why Jack talked about letters and so forth.**

**Quote: **_**"Can miles truly separate you from friends . . . If you want to be with someone you love, aren't you already there?"**_** Richard Bach.**

**-PLA**


	5. Prophecies

Elsa loved Anna, but she didn't know how much more of her little sister she could take. Particularly when stuck in the same carriage with her for over three hours.

"We're almost there! We're almost there! We're almost there! We're almost the-"

"Anna, I_ know_ we're almost there!" Elsa interrupted, secretly praying that Anna got the message to stop.

"Can I say it one more time?" The eleven-year-old smirked. Her older sister gave her a glare before answering.

"Do you want to become the first walking, talking snow girl?" Elsa asked innocently. Anna feigned a horrified gasp, letting her hand cover her mouth.

"We both know you wouldn't do that! Especially when I did all that work! Do you_ have any idea_ how _much_ pleading, begging, and asking it took to let them have me sit with you?!"

"You're overdoing it." The older girl sniggered. Her sister grinned at her toothily.

"Well, at least I'm better than Kristoff . . . Speaking of which, have you gotten any letters from them lately?"

"No, there wasn't any reason write anything lately, since we're coming." Elsa replied, turning back towards the window.

"Good point . . . And when we leave, you're probably going to say goodbye to Jack in the usual way." Anna huffed at her sister. Elsa felt her insides flutter. Not just at Anna's observation, but at the fact that she would be seeing the boy in less than an hour. However, she pushed the feeling aside, to focus on what Anna had said.

"What do you mean _usual way_?" The twelve year old questioned, raising an eyebrow and looking back to her sister.

"You two shake, Jack says some last minute message where you end up holding hands, he and Kristoff run into the woods, you look after them, and then I start teasing you."

"And this bothers you because . . ." Elsa asked cocking her head a little.

"Because you're meant to be!"

"Not again!" The princess groaned, slumping in her velvet seat.

"Oh, come on Elsa, it's crossed your mind at some point! When you're in your room practicing your powers, when you're writing to them, or whenever we start the trip here . . . You must have!" Anna said while glaring at her sister. Elsa returned the gaze.

"How long have you thought about this?"

"Well, Mama and Papa still think you have no control over your powers, and we only pass notes or talk during the night when we sneak out to the gardens. So, I have a lot of time to myself where I get to do nothing."

"I worry about you." Elsa stated simply.

"Yeah, so do I." Anna giggled.

Elsa rolled her eyes and stared out the open carriage window. Her parents were riding in the carriage at the front of the procession. However, this time Anna had convinced her parents to let her sit with her sister. Elsa glanced upwards

The sky was dark. Elsa wasn't afraid of storms, but this one had an unnerving air about it. Something chilling. It reminded her of the nightmares she'd been having . . .

"It feels different this time." Anna said, suddenly breaking the silence.

"What?" The pale girl across from her asked. Anna shrugged before answering her sister.

"It feels different . . . I'm not sure how to explain it, but I've got this feeling that something big is going to happen . . ."

"Bad or good?" Elsa questioned, pulling on her gloves like she did when she was nervous.

"I'm not sure . . . It's just this feeling like something really big is happening . . . Like everything is going to change . . . Become weirder. . ."

"Everything is already pretty weird . . . I'm mean, what are the chances of finding two people that have ice powers?" Elsa asked, but she had the funny feeling too. It didn't comfort her.

The rest of the ride was silent and when the carriage finally slowed, Elsa's spirits didn't soar like they usually did when her family came to Burgess. Both girls stood up, Elsa took off her gloves, and they stepped out of the coach, looking around.

Burgess had grown since the first time the royal family had visited it. The square was surrounded by more houses and shops, and the main hall had become the place where people gathered when announcements were held. Almost all of the town was inside, but many people had stopped when the royal carriages had shown up. The sisters knew why.

The king and queen walked majestically to the front of the main hall where the lord and his wife stood . . . with their daughter. Elsa had found out after her family had left Burgess that Rebecca Wellington, of all people, was the lord's daughter.

Anna felt Elsa tense up beside her and she knew what it was. She nudged Elsa, and they both shot off towards the woods before their parents had even turned around to greet them.

Because _almost_ the entire town was at the main hall. And they knew two particular boys who wouldn't be there listening to the lord's speech.

The king turned around, expecting his daughters to be behind him, but there was no one there. Rebecca wasn't surprised. _They _are_ quite disrespectful_, she thought.

But the two sisters racing up the side of a small hill didn't care what anybody thought at that moment.

* * *

The boys had beaten the girls to the hill and had been waiting there for what felt like ages. Kristoff leaned against the old tulip poplar, watching for them, while Jack created a mini blizzard on the ground next to his friend.

Kristoff suddenly straightened, and Jack glanced towards the town. He blinked when he saw the two princesses running towards him and his friend, but stood up.

Elsa and Anna reached the pair several seconds later, cheeks pink and slightly out of breath. Anna was grinning like crazy, her dark green dress smudged with dirt, and her light red hair messed from running. The white streak in her hair shone in the light that managed to shine through the gray clouds.

Elsa's blue satin dress was also rumpled, and her platinum hair had fallen out of her bun. It was now a messy braid, falling down her back. Despite her flushed face, Elsa's eyes were bright and shining. And her hands hung by her sides, gloves nowhere to be seen.

The two girls took a moment to look over the boys and catch her breath.

Kristoff was at least an inch taller than Jack, and most of the other village boys his age. His shaggy gold hair still hung in front of his deep brown eyes and he kept his arms crossed, as if he couldn't figure out what to do with them. He still wore the dark navy clothes and fur boots they had last seen him in, but the pants were too short, barely meeting the tops of his shoes.

Jack, unlike Kristoff, was only slightly taller than Elsa, and had hair that was always messy and could never be combed down. And also, unlike Kristoff, Jack's feet still had no shoes, even though a light dusting of snow had covered the ground. He only wore a simple white shirt, worn pants, and a brown cloak to protect himself from the cold.

Both of them were grinning.

After several seconds of silence, only broken by the girls' breathless puffing, Anna tackled both boys in a tight hug, something that had become her way of greeting them every year. Anna grinned as Kristoff awkwardly hugged her back.

"Any sign of Rebecca?" Kristoff asked, letting go the younger sister and giving Elsa a quick embrace.

"She's going to be listening to her father's stimulating speech." Anna replied with a grin. Elsa and Jack turned to each other, hesitated, then shook hands. Anna and Kristoff exchanged looks at this, both deciding to tease them later.

"So, how's life been?" Jack asked as casually as he could, letting go of Elsa's hand.

"Oh, besides lying to my parents that I still have no control, everyone thinking 'what is wrong with the oldest princess', and dealing with Anna in the same carriage for over three hours just _great_." Elsa answered sarcastically, her own hand dropping to her side. Anna gave a mortified gasp.

"I can't be_ that_ annoying, right Kristoff?" Anna asked, turning to him as she talked. Kristoff shrugged and began examining a pine-cone on the forest floor. Anna swatted him with her hand.

"Ow! Well, you_ can_ be a bit _much_!" he protested as Anna gave a small huff and turned to the other two. Elsa and Jack weren't paying attention. They were in deep conversation.

"You've been having the nightmares, too? Strange . . . Kristoff has had the same one . . ." Jack let the last sentence trail off, as he was in deep thought.

"I've had the same what?" Kristoff asked, while rubbing the shoulder where Anna had hit him.

"The same nightmare . . ." Elsa replied, clearly thinking hard. Anna felt a shudder run through her.

"You mean the one where there's a big man dressed in black and he has a brobdingnagian monster army behind him?" Anna inquired in a hushed voice. The others stared at her, more out of confusion than the surprise that she had been having the same dream.

"I would say yes, but I have no idea what that means." Jack said voicing the others' thoughts.

"Brobdingnagian means gigantic." Anna replied.

"Oh, well then yes . . . All of us are already pretty strange already, but this is . . . Did you have a symbol rising above their heads? Mine was a snowflake and I'm gonna guess so was yours, Els?" Jack asked Elsa, turning to her. She nodded, eyes wide, but then frowned, her thoughts trying to make sense of the situation.

"No, I had a crystal looking wand-thing, with a bunch of light shooting out of the top." Anna said with a shake of her head.

"Mine was a bunch of animal prints . . . they were kinda swirled together, but I knew what they were, it makes sense as I've-" Kristoff suddenly stopped talking, because he hadn't meant to say anything about his situation. Jack raised an eyebrow and was about to ask why Kristoff had stopped talking, but a sudden rustling made him whip around. They all froze.

From the sound, Jack guessed the animal was large, but that didn't make any sense. Most animals would be sleeping this time of year, and nearly all creatures wouldn't bother the townspeople anyway. A bad feeling settled in his stomach.

"Hey . . . guys I thi-" Jack never finished his sentence, as a _thing_ had jumped out of the brush.

Hideous was the only word to describe the creature. It had grey stone for skin and twisted horns sat on top of its bony head. Its little body was jagged and sharp, as if it had been chopped from a mountain. But worst of all were its eyes. They were a blood red and seemed full of a gaze that wanted nothing more than to kill.

For a moment no one moved. And that moment of terror would stay imprinted in the childrens' minds forever. Then the creature slowly turned to look at Elsa. Their eyes met.

She couldn't move.

Couldn't breathe.

It felt as if she were stuck underwater. That if she were to move, everything would be slow and clumsy.

It didn't seem so for the monster. The thing cocked its head, as if it were trying to figure out how she would taste. Elsa didn't blink. Then, as if it decided she would be a good enough meal, the creature lunged.

Elsa didn't scream. Instead, her mind went through about a hundred different things she could do to save herself: _Duck. Jump out of the way. Duck out of the way and hit it with something. Preferably something large and heavy. _

But before her mind could come up with a way to save her life, her hands were already in motion, moving up to shield her face from those razor-like fangs. Elsa's eyes snapped shut. A sound like sand being blown in the wind filled the air, and the temperature dropped.

Slowly, she opened her eyes. And sat down hard.

In front of her, a wall of ice had sliced through the creature as it leaped at her. It was jagged ice, shooting up from the ground. It must have killed the creature instantly.

Black sand was scattered against the turned up snow, along with a dark silvery liquid. Blood. Lots of it. Lots of sand. Lots of ice. Everything suddenly felt as if it were turning upside down. She closed her eyes.

She sat still, her breathing fast, and heart pounding. She had never seen anything like that before. Not in her books, not in the paintings hanging in the palace, not even from her own imagination. Elsa tried to steady her breathing. It didn't work.

A firm hand on her shoulder suddenly brought her down to earth. Elsa let her eyes open and met Jack's gentle gaze. A presence to her right made the eldest princess notice her little sister had knelt next to her and was holding her hand. A squeeze on her other shoulder made Elsa glance up at Kristoff's brown eyes. Her breathing gradually evened.

She was okay. She was safe. The blood had seeped into the ground. The sand blown away by a gentle breeze. The ice shot from her hands sinking back into the ground. She was okay. She was safe. Kristoff's grip on her shoulder, Anna holding her hand, Jack's steady gaze, that all meant she was safe.

"You good?" Kristoff's voice sounded strange, cutting into the silence like that. Elsa found herself nodding. The boys' hands left her shoulders, and Anna helped her sister to her feet.

Elsa looked back at the town. _Did anyone see what had just happened? Does somebody know about the ice? The magic? Someone must know. How could've anybody missed that?_

Her thoughts whirled around in her head. But Anna's voice made her come back: "What was that thing?"

"Something that should not be in this world, I'm afraid." A voice answered. A voice that Elsa knew. She gasped and whipped her head around, and there he was. Grandpabbie.

The old troll walked out from behind the tulip poplar and stood before the children. He considered them all for a moment, then turned to the heir of Arendelle. "It is nice to see that you have control, Elsa, but we have more pressing matters at hand. Follow me please."

"Wait! What are _you_ doing _here_?!" Elsa ran after the troll with Jack, Kristoff, and Anna behind her. Confusion written on her face.

"Why, to _warn_ you of course." He answered as if it was obvious, still leading them into the woods. After several seconds, Jack realized the troll was leading them to the small glade where he and Elsa practiced magic when she was at Burgess.

They all fell silent for a moment before Anna asked a question, "Who are you?"

Grandpabbie glanced behind him to give her a strange look.

"Don't you remember? Oh, well you wouldn't, but I won't get into that now. Come along, we don't have much time before I must leave."

Jack wanted to ask what that meant, but the small group had come upon the glade, and Pabbie had turned to face them. Then, somewhere in his moss cloak, he produced a long, wooden box and laid it in front of Anna.

"Open it." He commanded. Though rather confused, Anna did as she was told. Inside the dark box was a wand. The same from her nightmare she had talked about earlier. Anna gaped and looked at it in amazement.

The wand itself was beautiful. Silver inlaid onto it created a handle that seemed to fit her hand perfectly. The silver disappeared halfway up the wand, giving way to a cerulean crystal that was lightly carved with strange runes and symbols. Anna held it in her hand and light immediately started glowing at the tip, illuminating the glade.

Her eyes glimmered with magic, and the weak glow emitting from her wand turned into a fierce light.

Pabbie stood frozen. Half in fear, half in astonishment. Excitement and horror settled in his stomach. He decided to see if his visions had been correct on who these children were.

"You boy!" He snapped at Kristoff, who jumped at his voice. "Have you been hearing their voices?" The boy stared at Pabbie, but nodded. The others looked at him, Anna still on the ground.

Pabbie quickly glanced around the forest, trying to find an animal. His old eyes settled on a small gray bird that was watching the group from a nearby tree. Pabbie turned back to Kristoff.

"Where is that bird going?" The old troll asked, pointing at the dove. The other three didn't understand, but Kristoff did. He looked at the bird with a piercing stare, which the dove returned before taking off.

"South, to his mate." The boy answered evenly. Pabbie nodded then turned to Jack and Elsa, his old heart pounding. Both children looked down at him, eyes confused and filled with nervousness.

"Create two snowflakes. One each and identical." Both held out a hand and a snowflake hovered above their palms, dancing in the wind.

The troll muttered something under his breath and looked up at the sky, which had become a deep gray, nearly black due to the evening hours. Thunder rumbled, and the light dimmed even more as the old troll began to speak.

"Do you know what that creature was?" He asked the four. They shook their heads, he continued. "_That_ was a gargoyle. Luckily for you Elsa, it was a small one. But those creatures aren't supposed to be in this world. In fact, _nothing_ like _that_ is supposed to be in this world . . . ." He gave them a deep stare, as if he expected them to understand.

Then he began to chant.

_Four of the moon, with will to fight._

_Must answer the call, to save the light._

_To stop the King, with relics old._

_And five will listen to tales untold._

Not one of them moved.

"Grandpabbie, are you . . . well?" Elsa asked, her voice lined with concern. Pabbie stared at the dark clouds above his head.

He was trying to save their lives. Were they really that foolish? Could they really know nothing, about who they were? Who they were meant to be?

"What do you know about the Guardians?" Blank stares were his answer. "Wonderful. Alright, sit down, this could be awhile." Pabbie muttered, slowly sinking to the ground. A beat passed. Anna sat down across from him, her wand still in her hand.

Several seconds passed before the others followed her example.

Pabbie took a deep breath and looked back up to the sky. Elsa was getting tired of him doing that. The troll looked back down at them suddenly, as if he sensed her thoughts. Pabbie took another deep breath.

"The Guardians of Childhood. That's what they're called. I'm sure you've heard of them by these names; Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy, Sandman, the Easter Bunny." The children nodded, they knew those names, but Pabbie wasn't done. "Mother Goose, Father Time, Mother Nature, the Man in the Moon." Pabbie paused for a second. "Nightlight."

Nightlight. Something about that name made Elsa's stomach knot into excitement. Whoever Nightlight was, they were important, that she knew.

"These are the Guardians of Childhood. They protect the children of the world from evil, nightmares, fear. Fear, especially fear." Pabbie looked back up at the sky. "I do not know his true name, but he has plenty of others to use: the Boogeyman, Darkling, and the Nightmare King." Pabbie met the eyes of the children again.

"There was a battle, only a few centuries ago in fact, and it was believed that the King had died. That the Guardian, Nightlight, had taken down the King of Terrors, but he had sacrificed himself doing so. No bodies were found after they fell to Earth, and yet . . . . neither were completely gone. I'm not sure if the Guardians even suspect that the Boogeyman is alive, but Elsa . . . . Only one thing can summon a creature like that. The Nightmare King is alive, he must have survived the battle. So, the question is, where's Nightlight? Where's the Moon's old Guardian?"

The children glanced at one another, still curious on how this Nightlight's fate could affect _them_.

"So, I've been searching for him. Nightlight was powerful, incredibly so, and that power drew monsters to him like moths to a flame. Therefore, he shouldn't have been too hard to find, as his aura also brought those with any magical blood to him, making him easy to track, but there's been no sign of him. Well, until now." Pabbie shot them a pointed look. They stared back, still not getting it. The troll huffed in exasperation. "A part of Nightlight's soul lives inside each of _you_!"

A beat passed.

"You're joking." Kristoff said. "That's_ insane_! People's souls don't just . . . . _mash together_! That makes no sense!" Kristoff paused, wondering if the troll had gotten his message before continuing, "A-and besides, how would you even know if it was _us_?!" Pabbie stared at them.

"He _may_ have a point. I mean you know . . . . we are kind of . . . . different." Anna pointed out. The troll nodded at her in agreement.

"Yes, Nightlight lives on in each of you. After all, already your magic is greater than most wizards, you heal faster than mortals, and it should be at this age when your powers show themselves and begin to grow. Your souls _must_ have melded with Nightlight's, making you who you are now. And you four are the only ones who can bring down the Nightmare King."

"What about the Guardians?!" Jack questioned. "Why can't they do anything? Why do we have to get rid of this King? We can't _fight_!" Anna and Kristoff nodded and added their own worries. It was a while before the all stopped talking at the sound of Elsa's voice.

"What are the relics?" Elsa's quiet voice made the others stop talking at once. Pabbie regarded the young girl for a second, debating on how he should answer her question.

"The relics are five pieces from the _Moon Clipper_ that fell to Earth in the last great battle of the Golden Age-"

"Is this the _same_ last battle? And what's the _Moon Clipper_?" Jack cut in, curiosity getting the better of him. Pabbie gave a small huff of annoyance.

"No, there are _two_ last battles: the last battle that was only a couple of centuries ago, and the last battle of the Golden Age. _Very_ different last battles. And the _Moon Clipper_ was the ship that MiM, the Man in the Moon, and his parents lived on before the Nightmare King attacked them. May I continue?" Jack opened his mouth again, but before he could ask anything, Kristoff nudged him. The younger boy sighed and shook his head. Pabbie continued,

"As I was saying, the relics fell to the Earth in the last battle of the Golden Age. All I know is that after the Boogeyman was defeated, the Moon hid the relics here, in Arendelle. He must have known you four would come along."

"The prophecy said that we would have to stop the Boogeyman _with relics old_. That must mean that to stop this Nightmare King we have to find these relics! Do you have any way that we could be able to find the-"

"Whoa, whoa, _whoa_. Jack, buddy, we're just kids. We have no chance at beating this _King_ or _whoever_ he is. One step at a time." Kristoff said, trying to knock some sense into his friend. Jack gave him a chastised grin, but still turned to Pabbie.

"I have a feeling that you're not going to see us in a long time, so I'm still gonna ask, do you have _anything_ that could help us find these relics." Pabbie stared at Jack for several seconds. Then, he reached into his moss cloak, to pull out a rolled up piece of parchment.

He handed the scroll to Elsa, who unrolled it after a moment's hesitation. It was a map of Arendelle, but it was unlike any map that she had ever seen. The detail was extraordinary, showing all of the mountains and lakes, forests and valleys. But, there were also the runes labeled on specific parts of the map. The same kind of runes that were etched onto Anna's wand.

"What do these mean?" Elsa asked the old troll, while she pointed at some runes that were labeled on top of several mountains and valleys.

"I believe you hold it up in the moonlight for them to be translated, however only a few people can cast the translation enchantment. But this map isn't just a map," Pabbie glanced at it warily. "It can show you images of things . . . Not often, perhaps never, but it can show you flashes of places you will go to, or should go to."

"Wait, wait, wait . . . . So since it seems that we're going to be going on this journey thing no matter what . . . . When should we leave?" Anna asked, her eyes shining hopefully.

"Not now, that's for certain." Pabbie said giving Anna a stern look so she caught his meaning. "You need to learn how to fight, and you need to learn fast, you think that monster will be the only one who comes this way? There are far darker things . . . . much darker than that gargoyle." Then the old troll turned to sky again, his face filled with worry.

"There's a storm coming you four, and you best be ready when she does." It seemed that those would be the last words the troll told them, however he turned to look at Kristoff. "And _trust_ each other."

With that the troll shuffled into the woods, and disappeared among the rocks and trees.

* * *

**A/N: Long chapter. But this also was the chapter that needed the most work on it though, so . . . . As for the stuff about Nightlight: THAT'S IN THE BOOKS! **_**Not **_**the movies, so if you don't know anything about anything that was anything that was in the books, you'll learn more about it as the story progresses.**

**Quote: "**_**Someday everything will make perfect sense. So, for now, laugh at the confusion, smile through the tears, and keep reminding yourself that everything happens for a reason.**_**" Unknown.**

**-PLA**


	6. Beginnings

**I am so very much sorry about not updating sooner. I've just been really busy and had writers block with this chapter! But I am back!**

* * *

"Did any of that make sense?" Kristoff asked, looking at the place where the troll had just seemed to disappear.

"Nope. What's _the evil_? How did the wand glow when I picked it up? How did Kristoff know where the bird was going? I think we've all got questions!" Anna responded. She looked over at Jack and Elsa, who were examining the map.

"It's flashing pictures! Maps do_ not_ do that!" Elsa said confusion in her voice. The map, Anna saw, wasn't exactly a map anymore.

The front of the parchment was flashing pictures . . . most were terrifying. It showed monsters of all sorts, villages being burned to the ground, dirt stained with blood. And voices seemed to come out of it.

Screaming, pleading, crying all at once. The shrieks were becoming louder and the pictures were flashing faster and faster. Elsa couldn't take it anymore. She rolled up the parchment and the sounds stopped. They were all trembling.

Slowly, she unrolled it. The map was back with its confusing symbols and runes.

"It doesn't make sense . . ." Elsa whispered.

"Does _anything_?" Anna cried throwing her hands in the air. She realized she was still holding the wand in her hand. Anna knelt to the ground and began to examine it more closely.

Kristoff stood watching his friends, wondering what to say. But his thoughts were interrupted by a sudden low growl. It had come directly in front of Anna.

"Anna, don't move." Jack whispered. Kristoff tensed. Elsa watched the bushes with a piercing gaze. And it jumped out of the bushes.

It wasn't a gargoyle. But it was just as petrifying. A dark wolf.

The monster was covered in black fur, matted and stained with liquid that looked disturbingly like blood. White, razor sharp fangs came out of its mouth in a crooked disorder. The eyes were dark, like midnight. But there were no stars. No light inside them. And as the creature leaped at Anna, time seemed to freeze.

Anna fell backwards with a scream and light shot out of the wand. Blinded by the sudden ray, the dark wolf stopped, stunned. Anna looked at it expecting it to jump upon her. But it didn't happen.

She opened her eyes just as another wolf jumped over her head. The new wolf had knocked the dark one to the ground and the air temperature plummeted.

A spike of ice shot up where the evil creature was. There was a terrible howl as the dark wolf was destroyed. And the ground was covered in black sand. Anna turned around to see Jack and Elsa with their hands pointed where the dark wolf had been. Both had shot the ice at the same time, doubling the power. Then her eyes searched for Kristoff, but he wasn't there. Yet the wolf was.

Its pelt was the color of gold and it seemed large for a wolf. It was lying on the ground panting slightly, observing her sister and Jack. Then it looked at her, with eyes the color of hot coffee. And Anna realized something. The _wolf_ was _Kristoff_!

He regarded her, apparently waiting for something. Jack and Elsa must have figured it out too, as they were staring at him with round eyes.

_If you're gonna stare at me, at least pretend I'm normal. _Kristoff's voice was suddenly heard by Anna, but it was _in_ her head. She shrieked and Kristoff glared at her.

"So _that's_ how you knew about the cardinal . . ." Elsa murmured. The wolf nodded and his voice was heard again.

_Yeah . . . It started with me just hearing small voices. At first I thought I was going crazy, because what I heard didn't make any sense__.__ Like "_Rabbits moving north, tell the others._" Then things got really weird._

"Doesn't seem like it can get any stranger now . . ." Jack said. Elsa punched him lightly on the arm, telling him to shut up in her own way. Which he did. Anna gave her sister an impressed look, and Elsa returned a smug grin. Kristoff continued his story, ignoring his friends.

_Yep, things got _really _weird. I was able to understand what they were saying, and it suddenly made sense. I was hearing what the _animals_ were saying. And then about a month after I started hearing them I woke up one morning as a chipmunk._

The others stared at him.

_I _know _it's weird. But I am a wolf at this moment so . . ._

"Okay . . . Kristoff understands animals, and can turn into them at will, you two have your ice powers and unnatural trust and teamwork thing. And I have my wand thingamajig." Anna tossed her wand in the air and caught it with her other hand, as to prove her point.

"What unnatural teamwork trust thing?" Elsa asked with a raised an eyebrow. Anna exchanged glances with wolf-Kristoff.

"Never mind."

"Well . . . _That_ sums it up . . . Let's see we have a creepy map, a crystal wand, and a lot of evil monsters after us . . . That's not stressful. Not at all." Jack said sarcasm in his voice.

"So . . . What now?" Elsa questioned. Nobody answered for a minute.

"First off, Kristoff can you please turn back into you." Anna stated looking at the wolf. Kristoff shrugged his shoulders and in a small flash of golden light, was back to himself.

"Thank you. Second, _no one_ can know about this. Who knows what will be after us, and our par-" Anna stopped and glimpsed at Kristoff, he gave her a small nod. "Our _guardians_ will just try to protect us. They'll try to stop us, no doubt about it. We can't let them do that. Third, we have to _train_. Just like Pabbie said."

"How?" Kristoff said. Jack looked at his friend.

"Listen here Christopher, Ms. Dictionary is right. We'll be seeing the monsters every other day. Teamwork is essential too. We'll push ourselves as far as we can go, and when we're older we'll look for our talismans. Somewhere around seventeen, but it's gonna take _a lot _of preparing, training, planning, and hiding to do it. Are we all in?" He looked at his best friends, asking them. Elsa nodded and laid a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"I'm in, Frosty." She smirked at him, but Anna saw something in her sister's eyes.

It was look of trust, belief, and something else that the young girl couldn't place.

Jack returned the gaze, his eyes meeting hers and he gave her a small smile.

"Deal, Princess." Anna and Kristoff exchanged knowing glances as their friends shook hands.

"You're gonna need an extensive vocabulary you know." Anna said with a wink. Kristoff grinned and shook his head.

"Well it seems that majority rules. You three aren't going without me!"

"No turning back you know."

"We know." Elsa told him.

"We're probably gonna die."

"I'll stay living in the moment, then."

"You're not backing out are you?" Jack said grinning at her.

"You don't want me to."

"You're right I don't" he answered gently. Their gazes met again, and held just a second too long. Anna took notice.

"Hello? Lovebirds?" she sniggered. They both looked at her in confusion.

"What did you call us?" Elsa asked her younger sister.

"Oh, nothing imperative . . ." Anna sniggered. Kristoff laughed at Jack's befuddled look. Not many things confused him. But Anna _was_ confusing.

"So, how does this thing work?" Anna asked sitting down on a log, examining her wand. Kristoff took a seat beside her and looked at it.

"Maybe it does what you want it to . . ." Elsa suggested.

"Oh, that's _not _good." Jack said in false horror. Anna gave her friend a dirty look.

"Maybe it does . . ." she whispered in awe. Then pointing her wand upwards she cried out, "Fugere columbam!"

And doves erupted out of her wand flying up towards the dark sky. Several of their white feathers landing on the ground. The others stared after them. Anna suddenly realized that four doves had come from her wand. And they were flying to a steely gray sky.

"Did you have to say that?" Kristoff asked her.

"No, but I sounded cool right?" she asked with a laugh. Jack looked around, realizing how dark it had become.

"We have to head back . . ."

"Yeah." Elsa's tone made him look at her. It held sadness in it. Her icy eyes were still trained on the doves, flying away.

"You ready?"

"No."

"At least that's an honest answer."

"Do you _really_ think we can do this?" she whispered so only Jack could hear.

"Yeah, I do." He put a hand on her shoulder. Elsa nodded and they turned to Anna and Kristoff.

"Let's go." Jack said and they ran back to Burgess. Each wondering what they would say.

* * *

Anna made the mistake of opening the front door. The boys had both taken a small side door and Elsa went to the one on the other side. Anna was _supposed_ to take the _back_ door. Ooops . . . And _of course_ the front door was the creakiest, and _of course_ it had to be in the middle of the mayor's speech.

"Ah! How nice of my youngest child to join us!" Anna winced at her father's voice and her eyes immediately searched for a pair of three others. She saw Elsa sitting next to their mother at one of the round tables that were on the ground, facing the stage.

The mayor gave her an annoyed glare. He was on the larger side, had a shiny bald head, and he was almost never able to say a sentence without his wife interrupting him. The welcoming speech was a rare moment for him, and he wasn't fond that it had been disrupted.

"Hi . . ." Anna said and gave a small wave. Jack and Kristoff were with several other boys at another table. Kristoff caught her eye and he gave her an encouraging smile. The king was not as amused.

He waved a hand at her to sit down next to him. Anna quickly walked towards the table, and noticed that they were sitting with the mayor's family. Elsa was sitting next to Rebecca, and Anna hoped that the mayor's speech was nearly done.

". . . So let us welcome them to our humble town of Burgess!" he finished and the room erupted into applause.

The king immediately motioned for his two girls to follow him outside. Both followed, their heads hanged, looking at the ground.

Jack and Kristoff exchanged guilty glances, Mrs. Overland didn't miss it.

"What did you two do?" she hissed at them, bouncing four-year-old Emma on her knee.

"Nothing . . ." Kristoff began, clearly trying to come up with a lie.

"I won't be able to get the truth out of you will I?" she continued.

"Nope!" Jack replied cheerfully, though he still eyed the door nervously. And behind the closed door, the king stood in Burgess's small library. With his arms crossed.

* * *

"Where have you two been!?" he said with a look of disappointment on his face. The girls looked at each other.

"It was those two boys wasn't it!? I thought I told you to keep away from them, and that was four years ago! They're a bad influence! Stay away from them!"

"We hear you." Elsa told her father before Anna could say anything. Their father nodded his head.

"Good." And with that he left the room.

"Well now what!? We can't even go near them now!" Anna said stomping her foot.

"I said we _heard_ him. I never said we would _obey _him." Elsa replied smugly. Anna gaped at her sister.

"What?"

"You're more evil than I thought. Or clever. Either way, I'm impressed."

"Uhhh . . . Thanks?" Elsa said, slightly baffled.

"Come on, I'm sure the guys will want to talk to us . . . Where do you think they'll be?"

"I don't know . . . Let's try the front entrance." Elsa answered, and with that she opened the door that led back to the main hall.

Several heads turned, but nothing big like last time. Quickly, the girls went out the front door to see if their friends were there.

"Wow. He really doesn't think that much of us does he?" Jack's voice made Elsa spin around. Both of them were leaning against the wall, with somewhat guilty faces.

"Yeah . . . Could be worse." Elsa told them.

"Don't say that! You might jinx us!" He said with a light laugh. Elsa rolled her eyes and looked up at the sky.

The clouds had blocked the stars, but the moon's light found its way through somehow.

"What are we gonna do?" Anna whispered. Kristoff walked over to her, and put a friendly arm around her shoulders.

"Trudge through and hope for the best. No . . . march through it, with our heads held high." He gave Anna a small wink and looked at the moon, which had peeked through an opening in the clouds.

"It's impossible." Elsa whispered to herself, but Jack heard her. He put a hand on her shoulder before replying.

"Nothing's _impossible_. Kristoff _did_ wake up one morning as a chipmunk. And besides, the words themselves say 'I'm possible'. Don't they?"

"There's no apostrophe." Elsa pointed out. Jack looked at her amused.

"Fine, be picky about it." He mumbled causing Elsa to give a small laugh.

"Can we do this? I mean, it just seems so unimaginable that . . ." She began then trailed off.

"That . . ."

"It doesn't exist. That this is just too unbelievable . . ."

"We both know it exists." He answered.

"I know . . . But I'm just so afraid . . . I don't think I'm brave enough to do this . . ." She trembled, and Jack knew it wasn't from the cold. He put an arm around her and thought a little before answering.

"I believe, that if you don't learn how to be scared, then you'll never really learn how to be brave . . ."Elsa looked back at him in surprise.

_Strange_, she thought. _One second he's joking about me jinxing him and the next he sounds like a sage . . . _Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of her father's voice.

"Elsa, Anna! Where are you!?"

"We have to go." Elsa said. And immediately she and Anna shot towards her father's voice. But Jack's hand suddenly grabbed her own and she looked back at him startled.

"Hey, don't worry, Princess. We're a team and we're all scared, believe it or not. But like Kristoff said, we'll march through it with our heads held high. And you _are_ brave, Els." He let go of her hand and Elsa's eyes met his. She knew what he said was true. Her father's voice cut through the air again, and she ran towards him.

But she looked back at her two friends. And sudden courage filled her. There would be monsters, scars, blood, secrets, and fear. And yet . . . With her little sister beside her and her two best friends behind her, ready to help at any moment. She felt no fear.

Only a strange fluttery feeling from when she had held Jack's hand or when he'd put his arm around her shoulders. And whenever their eyes met.

She couldn't quite find the word for it.

* * *

**I liked doing this chapter! My quote is: **_**"Without trust we don't truly collaborate; we merely coordinate or, at best, cooperate. It is trust that transforms a group of people into a team."**_ **That was Stephen M.R. Covey! Tell me what you think!**


	7. Leaving

**This chapter was really hard to come up with! But I have! Small achievement achieved! Oh, they're seventeen in this chapter, just to let you know.**

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"This is it. The year _everything_ changes. The year we escape into the wild, evil, terrifying unknown. The year our parents will want to yell off our ears. The year every single demonic being will be after us. The year we have to find four talismans, that we don't even know where they are. The year we face the supreme thing of malevolence." Anna told her sister, looking out the window. Elsa looked at the sixteen-year-old sitting opposite of her.

"Isn't your heart _supposed_ to be filled with magic and _light_?"

"I wasn't finished. It's _also_ the year that we run-off with our best friends. Just us. No bowing, curtsying, your majestying, and princessying. I still feel guilty, though."

"You know what they'll say! "Don't go! They're bad influences! It's too dangerous!" We _can't _let them know! They'll stop us!" Elsa countered.

"I know . . . but can I at least feel bad about it?"

"Sure."

"Okay . . . Hey, I think we're almost there!" Anna rocked in her seat, clearly excited.

"You won't turn Jack into a newt again, right?"

"It was an_ accident_!"

"Of course, of course . . ." Elsa teased as their carriage came to a stop. Both girls weren't scared. They were petrified, and talking seemed to help ease the fear.

Elsa opened the door and stepped out, Anna behind her. Burgess was now a place of trading, hunting, and craftsmanship. Many shops and homes lined the streets, though most were closed. The mayor was greeting the royal family and almost everyone in the town was in the main hall.

Elsa and Anna walked carefully behind their parents, waiting to give their greetings to the mayor's family . . . which included Rebecca.

Rebecca herself had turned into a fine young lady, but she annoyed Elsa greatly. Anna knew why, but she also knew that if she merely suggested it, her sister would freeze her feet together. It had happened before, and Anna was not anxious for a repeat. But the reason Rebecca hated the older princess was because of Jack.

The close friendship between her sister and the boy was uncanny to Anna. It was as if they could communicate with their eyes, but they could all do that. Jack, however, seemed to see things in her sister that even Anna could not.

These thoughts flashed through Anna's mind as the two older girls curtsied to each other.

After the greetings had been made both families walked into the main hall. _Nearly_ both families, as the two princesses were gone the moment they could leave. Straight to the old tulip poplar.

* * *

"How you been, Els?" Jack asked as they shook hands, while Kristoff and Anna exchanged knowing glances behind their backs.

"Well, it's nice to see you're not a newt anymore . . ."

"Hey!" Anna protested, as the other three laughed.

"That scared are you?" Kristoff asked Elsa. She nodded.

"Umm, yeah. We don't what or where the talismans look like and are. No one except us and Grandpabbie know about this whole journey thing. And when we come back, if we come back, what will our consequences be?"

"And you were telling _me_ to lighten up." Anna mumbled, still miffed about the newt comment.

"Yeah, I mean what about last time you guys were here? We were attacked by at the least fifty monsters, and Jack nearly died . . ." All shuddered at Kristoff's retelling.

"Yeah, Devia's arrow got me pretty good." Jack pulled on his shirt to let them see a star shaped scar under his left collarbone.

"A couple more inches and I'd be dead. I owe you one, Princess . . ." Jack told Elsa. She gave him a weak smile. Elsa was the one who usually did the medical conditions, and she was good at it.

"I'm sure you'll save my life sooner or later."

"They'll be missing us . . ." Anna said suddenly, turning towards the direction of the town. No sooner than she said it than, the captain of the guard's voice rang out,

"Your majesties! Where are you!?"

"You and your prophet's sight . . . See you guys in the morning. We'll meet here. Els and I can whip up a snowstorm. By the time we're twenty miles from here, they'll just be realizing we left . . ." Jack's voice had a sad tone to it and Elsa realized he was thinking about his mother and sister.

"Hey, it'll be okay." She whispered to him, putting a hand on his arm. Jack nodded, but she knew it probably didn't help.

"Come on guys, let's go." Kristoff mumbled.

* * *

"W-w-would you l-like another biscuit, m-miss?" The young girl's voice trembled as she held out a platter to Elsa. Elsa gave a small laugh and beckoned the girl closer. She did and Elsa whispered in her ear.

"No thank you, but I should let you know that slumping your shoulders only makes it worse. Trust me, and if you want to make your mother and brother proud, keep your chin up." The girl's eyes widened and her cheeks turned a bright shade of pink.

"How did you know that I have a brother?" she whispered back to Elsa.

"Oh, he talks about you all the time, but don't tell anyone I said that. Especially Jack, or he'll kill me in a snowball fight. Do promise, Ms. Emma." Emma looked at Elsa in shock but before she could say anything the mayor called out,

"I think we're fine here Emma." And the young girl nodded, gave Elsa a quick glance, and walked to another table. The mayor's wife watched Emma before talking again.

"Ah, the Overland family is a good one. Mrs. Overland is the finest seamstress that I have ever seen and her daughter, the shy thing, is quite sweet once you get to know her. Her son Jack has turned out quite fine too, so has his friend, Kristoff." The mayor's wife said glancing at her daughter as she said it. Anna felt Elsa stiffen beside her and the king raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, really?" He asked looking over at his two daughters. "Are they the two boys who always seem to have good lies and comebacks?"

"Yes, but they really are fine young men once you get to know them. Kristoff is extraordinary with the animals and Jack is skilled in the arts of black-smithing and carpentry. And both are good with trading and the young ones . . . Though Kristoff, the poor boy, is an orphan and Jack lost his father. It was really quite tragic and mysterious." She ended sadly. The king nodded, glancing at his daughters. The queen shook her head in amusement.

It was not if he had anything to worry about. Two common boys didn't have a chance with her daughters. But she looked around the room until she found the two young men.

They were sitting with several other boys and girls their age. She noticed that the little girl Emma was on Jack's knee, looking at him curiously. She examined the little things about them.

The way Kristoff seemed alert and on the edge of his seat. How Jack was sitting with his head raised slightly, as if he had an air of nobility around him. Both had a light in their eyes that made her smile and shake her head again.

The queen looked at her eldest and noticed how Elsa's eyes seemed to have a look of happiness and excitement in them whenever they came here. Anna too was more cheerful than usual, which created a perky and energetic atmosphere. Suddenly she saw that Elsa's gloves were off.

Were they always off? In fact neither of the girls had been around like they had been in the other villages . . . Strange.

"Well, we have a long day full of debating tomorrow, so we all must be going to bed. Goodnight, sir." The royal family stood and politely left the room, going to their different sleeping quarters. But not before the four friends eyes met, and gave each other courage.

* * *

"Come _on_, Anna!" Elsa hissed as she and her sister ran up the hill. Burgess lay peacefully behind them. Both girls were wearing trousers, shirts, and boots, garments Anna had created in two seconds.

"Took you two long enough!" Kristoff hissed at them.

"Well, _you_ didn't have to sneak past twenty guards!" Anna reasoned.

"We have to go, come on!" Jack told them. But he paused and looked back before running off into the night. A gentle hand taking his arm made him glance to the front. Elsa gave him a soft smile, and he knew they had to go.

They put their hands together and focused. A sudden shot of blue ice went upwards, and the clouds thickened. The four friends ran off into the forest.

Then the snowflakes began to fall.

* * *

"Adgar, why would they?" the queen whispered through tears. Her husband shook his head in sadness and hugged her to his chest. They were gone.

Her two beautiful daughters gone. This morning. No one knew where they went. Or why.

A sudden pounding on the library door made the king call, "Come in!"

The mayor burst in with the captain, his family, the owners of the orphanage, and the Overlands. The king saw that the woman from the orphanage and both of the Overlands had tears in their eyes.

"What _is_ it!?" The king asked sharply.

"We believe it was a kidnapping." The captain said grimly. The two royals stood up.

"What!?" The queen gasped. The mayor nodded solemnly.

"Yes, neither Jackson Overland or Kristoff Bjorgman has been seen. We've sent out search parties, but with all this snow-" The mayor began, but he was cut off.

"_My big brother would never ever ever I mean never kidnap or hurt anyone!_" Emma's nine-year-old voice shook with fury. Everyone looked at her in surprise and shock.

"Emma we-" Her mother started.

"No, Mama! He _wouldn't_ and you _know_ it and Kristoff would sooner jump off a _cliff_!"

"We've had maids search the girls rooms for clues, but face it Emma, most of the evidence points to your brother and his friend." The captain tried to soothe the young child.

"They would_ never_." A sudden soft knocking made Rebecca quickly open the door. One of the maids stood in the doorway holding a small wooden object.

The king quickly thanked her and shut the door, not noticing it hadn't closed all the way, and began to examine the small item in his hand.

"What is it, Adgar?" The queen asked nervously. He shook his head, and rapidly found a note glued to one side of the cube. He read it to the rest of them.

_The others would kill me if they knew about this, but I think you deserve a right to know the truth. It's hard to tell, but I can show you . . . To unlock this, repeat the first word that comes into your head._

_ Love, Anna_

The king thought for a moment then whispered something to the cube. Nothing happened.

"Could that have eve-" The captain stopped and the king dropped the cube.

The wood had turned into a light blue, and smooth _something_. Then the king recognized it.

"Moonstone . . ." he said aloud. Then in a burst of light the moonstone seemed to dissolve into thousands of pieces of a sandy looking substance that floated into the air. It formed into a flat, rectangular . . . window of some sort.

"What is it?" Emma whispered. No one answered. As no one knew.

Then the image started to play.

* * *

**Ta-da! Cliff hanger! Quote: **_**"Sometimes people choose to leave not because of selfish reasons, but they just know that things will get worse if they stay."**_** Unknown. By the way, I've gotten over a thousand views! Yay! Chapter eight will be up soon I promise.**


	8. Discovery

**Okay, so Anna decided to leave a moonstone behind, which turned into her "magic dust". That created an image. It's pretty much in the shape of a TV screen. This was just in case you didn't understand. And here come the consequences . . .**

* * *

The king blinked at the image, though he did not know that was what it was called. Colors seemed to move around in it, and then they took form.

It was showing a moving picture of two young teenagers, and as more color and definition came into the picture, everyone realized it was Jack and Elsa. Then the fourteen-year-olds began to move, and speak.

**"You want to practice?" Jack asked Elsa. They were standing in the of the ball room in the main hall.**

The king, queen, and Ms. Overland all became very pale.

"Mama what is it?" Emma inquired, suddenly concerned.

**"We're in a **_**building**_** Jack!" She responded rolling her eyes, at his foolishness.**

** "Well then, let's go!" He said cheerfully, taking her hand and dragging her to the open double doors.**

"Go where?" the captain, or Rolfe, asked. No one knew.

**Jack suddenly stopped. Then he murmured to her, "Uh-oh, dark wolves at twelve-o-clock." It wasn't wolves, but two guards.**

** "Princess, what are you doing out of your chambers unescorted?" **

** Elsa groaned. Privacy, solitude, quality time with a friend. She never seemed to get these things when out of the palace.**

** "Black Dragon at nine," Jack whispered.**

"**Good morning, Your Grace. Good morning." The maid said, curtseying to the princess.**

"**Banshee at six." That was the mayor's wife, Gerda.**

"**Your Majesty, what are you doing? Standing out here like a commoner!" She walked towards them, glowering.**

"**We're surrounded, captain. I'm afraid there's only one way out of here," Jack told her under his breath. Elsa turned to him, a smile on her lips.**

"**You **_**cannot**_** be serious! We haven't done that since we were nine years old! And even then we got in trouble!"**

**"I call Sinbad!" Jack said.**

**"You **_**always**_** call Sinbad! He's the **_**best**_** pirate!"**

"**Oh, come on! You can be Marina!" Jack went over to the left door. He narrowed his eyes at Elsa and called to her, "Abandon ship, chum bucket! Last one to the tree is a landlubber!"**

**Those were the exact words he'd said to Elsa when they were little, pretending to be pirates, and challenging each other to a race.**

**Elsa stood next to the door on the right. "You're on bilge rat!"**

"**One . . . two . . . three!" They said in unison. Then they ran out of the main hall and were gone. **

The king and queen were shocked by their daughter's behavior. Everyone was. Also by the pair's friendship.

**Jack and Elsa ducked between carts, people, and animals. When they reached the poplar, they slapped it at the same time. **

"**Beat you!" Jack laughed.**

"**You did **_**not**_**! It was a tie!" Elsa said.**

"**Yeah, except I won."**

"**I can't **_**believe**_** we just ran out of there! We're in **_**so **_**much trouble!"**

"**Yeah, we probably are, but it was worth it." Jack said with a shake of his head.**

"**Most things are . . ." Elsa responded.**

The image changed and began to show a different scene and time.

"What did he mean 'practice'?" Rebecca whispered, confused. Then the next memory began to play.

This time all four friends were there and they seemed to be around ten.

"**How's the magic coming?" Kristoff asked. They were walking to the glade, having a friendly conversation.**

"**I've been able to practice without anyone knowing . . ." Elsa responded. Anna glanced at the other boy.**

"**Jack?"**

"**Hmm? Oh, I've been thinking . . . What if you could draw a picture with ice, and . . . do you think . . . make them, the pictures I mean, come out of the paper?"**

"**Huh . . . I wonder . . ." Anna said, clearly thinking.**

The image faded and everyone glanced at Mrs. Overland.

"Ice?" The mayor, Jonick, asked. Before she could answer the image shifted. They were thirteen and in the glade. Jack was pacing back and forth, like he did when he was agitated.

"**They've raided a village in Oplan . . ." Anna said, sitting on the ground with her head in her hands.**

"**Why would they want **_**villagers**_**?" Kristoff muttered. Jack glanced at his friend.**

"**Probably for labor, to free whatever that **_**thing**_** is."**

"**We have to leave earlier. They're innocent people, they want **_**us**_**!" Elsa's voice shook with anger.**

And the image altered to a new one. Everyone looked away except Emma.

"What's after them?" Gerda cried. Then Emma screamed.

Her brother was fighting . . . _things_. He was sixteen and a bloody cut was on his left cheek. Elsa fought next to him. Both seemed to have blue ice shooting from their hands. Anna and Kristoff were nearby.

**Anna had a long wand in one hand, and golden light seemed to fly out of it. Kristoff, however, wasn't Kristoff exactly. He was a great gold bear with brown eyes.**

**Suddenly a beautiful but terrifying woman appeared several feet behind Jack. And she shot an arrow. **

**Which hit her brother right under his collarbone.**

Several of the women in the room shrieked, and Emma sat down on the ground hard. But Jack didn't cry out.

**Instead the boy ripped the black arrow from his shoulder and continued to fight. If not stronger than before.**

**All at once it was over. Kristoff transformed into his regular self. Anna nearly collapsed she was so exhausted. But Elsa was moving quickly.**

**She created a cloth made of ice and held against Jack's wound. He was taking it well considering he'd been shot by a dark arrow.**

**Jack's breathing was becoming easier and the blood was starting to stop coming from his shoulder****.**

"**I'm fine." He told her.**

"**No, you're not, and if you even think about getting up I'll freeze you to the ground! _Clear_!?" Elsa snapped at him. Jack could see concern in her eyes and nodded.**

"**I killed Devia only a week ago." Anna murmured****.**

"**They're regenerating faster. Next year. We have to leave next year." Kristoff told the others, and they nodded.**

It started shifting again and the image of Elsa holding a bloody cloth up to Jack's shoulder was gone.

No one said anything. They were too frightened to move.

"That's why she was kept inside." Rolfe said, he shook his brown-skinned head. "The poor princess . . ."

"Why didn't she tell us? About her control? Or those things? About the boy . . ." The queen whispered.

"I don't think they wanted us to know . . . About anything . . ." The orphanage owner, Talik, said and his wife, Bulka, nodded.

"But what were those?" Emma whimpered. Her brother's wound was still fresh in her eyes.

Suddenly the next image began. The twelve year olds were standing under a tall pine tree, looking up.

"_**How**_** did you manage to get it stuck up**_** there**_**?" Elsa asked. They were looking up at a wand, which was near the top of the tree, lodged between two branches.**

"**I was just trying to turn a spoon into a rose, and it flew out of my hand." Anna explained.**

"**Well, what do you want me to do?" Kristoff asked her.**

"**I don't know! Turn into a bird!"**

"**Alright, alright . . ." Kristoff mumbled as he turned into a small golden finch. He flew to the top of the tree and grabbed the wand with his small feet. Then he came back down and transformed back into himself.**

"**Thanks . . ." Anna told him sheepishly, and he gave her a smile before handing the wand to her. Jack and Elsa exchanged glances.**

**And as they walked back to town, Jack was teasing Kristoff farther up ahead, Elsa gave her sister a smug look.**

"**Oh, shut up." Anna mumbled.**

Even though the last memory had left them terribly shaken, there were several chuckles at Anna.

"Why doesn't this feel so surprising?" Emma asked, suddenly.

"I don't know . . ." The queen said, watching the image as it changed again. The new image showed the four as thirteen year olds walking through the woods.

**Anna and Kristoff were farther up ahead while Jack and Elsa talked, lagging behind. Anna suddenly pointed a finger at Elsa, though none of the others noticed.**

**Elsa tripped on a tree root and tried to find her balance at the same time. Jack's hands immediately caught her by the waist and she found herself looking up at him.**

"**Err . . . Hi?" He said causing Elsa to blush slightly, then they both heard laughter from up ahead. Elsa tilted her head back to see her sister and Kristoff, though they were upside down.**

"**Hey, guys what are **_**you **_**doing?"** **Anna smugly said. Both teen's faces went a shade darker.**

"**Falling." Elsa quickly answered.**

"**Catching."**

"**Right, right . . ." Anna said, nodding her head.**

"**I could drop her." Jack suggested. Elsa looked back at him, with a glare. "Not that I would . . ."** **He continued, helping her up.**

**As they walked on Jack whispered to Elsa, "I bet she cursed us."**

There was light laughter around the room. Except for Rebecca, she was looking at the ground. Her mother, too didn't smile, but gave her daughter a sad look.

Then the image transformed once again. Emma saw the older princess first. It was when she had been sixteen. The girl then saw her brother walking around her.

**Jack was challenging her greatly. The small blizzard filling the glade, and the winds whipping about her. Snowflakes were falling and whirling all about her. A sudden call from Jack made Elsa halt the magic.**

"**No, no, no! Stop! Stop!"**

"**What is it? What's wrong?" She asked, confused.**

"**The storm. It's far too weak! It has no strength!" He told her.**

"**I-I don't understand, Jack. I was doing it! I hadit_ completely_ under **_**control**_**!"**

"**That's the problem, Elsa- too much control! That's **_**always**_** your problem! I want emotion and passion! The tempest, not the calm! Again!"**

The king frowned at this. He had always taught her control . . . And now this _boy_ wants to her to lose it!?

**Elsa took a deep breath and let her mind lose the powerful grip. She started the storm again. As she did, Jack walked around her, pushing her, challenging her, never letting up. As Elsa added power to the storm, Jack came closer.**

"**Expression, Els, more expression!" he demanded.**

**Elsa had created a snow vortex as part of the storm. Now she added two more.**

"**Good, good! Now use the magic to make me **_**feel**_** something! Amaze me!"**

**Elsa raised the vortices, she made them taller and spun them faster. She forgot she was near the town, forgot to keep the magic small. She swept a graceful hand in front of her, curving the vortices. She bent them once, twice, three times, folding the ice in on itself, forcing it to refract light.**

"**Excellent!" Jack shouted.**

**Elsa's storm was incredible. It seemed to be a living breathing thing, pure beauty and strength in its power. She bent the ice again and again, and a dozen more times until it cracked and broke into shards and light shot from it in so many directions, it looked like a mountain of diamonds glittering in the forest.**

**Elsa crumpled, Jack catching her before she hit the ground. The storm vanished in a second.**

"**Incredible." He told her. Elsa opened her eyes and glanced at him.**

"**Your turn. I want delicate and gentle . . . a garden." She told him standing up and leaning against a tree.**

"**A garden?"**

"**Complete with rabbits."**

"**I really don't understand you."**

"**And you never will." Elsa declared****.**

**Jack concentrated and flowers, trees, and vines seemed to burst from the ground. Roses, crocuses, and violets shaded with different colors of ice bloomed under a variety of trees, morning-glories twining around the trunks.**

"**Where's the life!?" She called to him.**

**Jack nodded and forest creatures made of thousands of ice crystals emerged from the real forest. Young fawns, birds, and rabbits roamed around the beautiful grove of ice. The magic seemed quite simple and easy, but Elsa could see how hard it was. How he hadn't passed out yet shocked her. To make a flower made of ice have its petals wave in the breeze like that, must be taxing. Then suddenly he leaned against a tree and the magic disappeared.**

"**Not bad, Frosty." Elsa said with an impressed nod. Jack grinned at her, his breathing labored.**

"**Why do you guys push each other so hard?" Anna asked, emerging from the trees, Kristoff behind her. Jack shrugged and thought for a moment before answering. **

"**Because our enemies will push us a thousand times harder."**

There was a shocked and impressed look on everyone's faces.

"That was _incredible_." Emma whispered, and her mother nodded. The royals and Mrs. Overland didn't know how much enchantment and beauty their children's powers had in them.

The image changed again, but this time it seemed different. It showed Jack, but he looked like he did last night.

Then it hit Emma.

"This is right now!" she whispered.

* * *

**Voila! I'm sick, so I had a lot of time to think about this chapter. My quote: **_**"And the little snowflakes add to the romanticism." **_**Rick Bryant. Bye!**


	9. Dark Ones

**Hello! This chapter is with the four, and they don't know that they're being watched by their families. Well, almost all of them don't know . . .**

* * *

Jack leaned his head against the tree and pulled the flute from his lips. He let out a sigh and another arrow shot by, missing him by inches.

"Do you _have_ to do that!?" He called down to the girl, who was on the forest floor. Elsa looked up at him. She looked different.

Both Elsa and Anna had changed their appearances. They now wore blouses, pants, and leather boots. Even though their outfits were similar, tan leggings and brown shoes, Elsa's shirt was blue while Anna's was magenta. Anna also carried a bag at her hip, which she had enchanted to be able to hold everything. Elsa had let her hair out of tight bun, letting it fall over her shoulder in a messy braid. He liked it.

"Yes." She replied before shooting another ice arrow, this time it hit her target. A small leaf that had been dangling from a branch.

"You hit that on the third try. Missing on the first two. He didn't miss. You died." He told her.

"Play your flute." She replied, miffed. He chuckled lightly and raised the instrument to play it. After blowing a few notes he lowered it again.

"Shouldn't they be back by now? I mean it's been ten minutes and how long should it take to find firewood?" Elsa paused before answering.

"Yeah . . ." She shifted and looked around, suddenly alert.

The grove was surrounded by tall pines and a fire burned at the center. Two tents stood on opposite sides of the flames and logs circled the pit where their fire crackled. Anna created their camp in a minute, though she nearly passed out from it.

Jack jumped from his branch and he too listened carefully. A sudden bang was followed by a terrible piercing shriek. Elsa and Jack's hands flew over their ears as the scream was from a banshee, and if one heard it, they'd die. Another bang sounded out and Jack noticed a burst of light, just south of the camp.

"Come on!" Jack called to her and they sprinted in the direction where the fight was. Pines and spruces were a blur as they ran, both tearing through the brush. Until they came to a small valley. Where Anna and Kristoff were fighting a banshee. Jack hated banshees, especially their queen, Devia. The one that had given him his scar.

Kristoff was wielding a double bladed ax, while Anna used her wand. The first banshee was already gone, turning into black sand, as all monsters did when they were killed. The second banshee turned when the other two teenagers came into the dell.

Her ebony hair floated around her face, twining like eels. Her yellow eyes narrowing as she opened her fanged mouth to scream. The bottom of her mauve dress ending in a wispy smoke that didn't seem to touch the ground.

She let out another earsplitting screech, which made them all cover their ears. As soon as the banshee had closed her mouth Anna blasted another ray of light at her. The banshee shot up and the light missed her and headed straight towards Elsa.

Jack pulled her to the side and she found herself in his arms. Anna let out another burst of brightness, and this time she didn't miss. The banshee exploded into sand and Elsa let out a shaky breath. Anna glanced at her sister and Jack then snickered.

"You two don't have to be like that anymore." She smiled.

"What?" Elsa asked then she realized her hands were still around Jack's neck and his on her waist. Jack cleared his throat and instantly let go of her.

"Oh." She said and they both took a step back, cheeks red. Kristoff chuckled at his friends then picked up the firewood he had dropped.

"Well, could've been worse . . . At least there were only two of them . . ."

"Still no idea about the talismans?" Anna asked her sister. Elsa shook her head sadly, and her sister sighed.

"What should we do?" Kristoff shrugged at Elsa, and paused.

"Have you guys had that strange feeling like someone's watching us?" He asked looking at the others. Anna laughed at him.

"No, Kristoff don't be silly!" She giggled at him. Jack and Elsa glanced at each other, both thinking the same thing.

"Anna's right Kristoff, it's just your imagination. Let's get back to camp." Jack told him, chuckling. Elsa grinned in agreement, Kristoff nodded, but he didn't seem too sure.

As the four walked back to their camp, Elsa hung back watching her sister. Anna had been acting strange ever since they had left Burgess. She'd been quiet, and had kept to herself, completely unlike Anna.

Jack met her gaze again as they reached the camp. Elsa nodded to him and sat next to her sister as she tended the fire. When Anna moved back from the flame, Elsa stepped in front of her.

"Spill it." She told her sister. Anna glanced at her sister, a confused smile on her face.

"What are you talking about Elsa?" Anna asked, as she put her bag on the ground and took an object wrapped in a brown cloth.

Anna quickly looked at the moonstone when Elsa glanced at Kristoff. It was glowing. _They're watching us . . ._ she thought.

"What's that?" Kristoff asked her, suddenly. Anna quickly put her hands behind her back, but she had forgotten about Jack.

"Thank you!" He said as he grabbed it from behind her.

"Hey!" Anna protested as he threw it to Elsa before she could take it from him. Elsa caught the thing easily and unwrapped it.

"Oh, look at_ this_! You know Anna, moonstones are quite mysterious . . . Especially when there are two in different places. Very handy communication devices . . ." Elsa told her sister. Anna giggled nervously.

"Looky there . . ." She said trying be light hearted.

"Yeah . . . You know, they're activated when glowing, so . . ." Jack said walking to Elsa and taking the moonstone from her, and tossing it back to Anna.

"Might as well. You probably put several memories before broadcasting it here." He stated. Anna sighed then threw the moonstone up above the fire, where it turned into an image. One showing their families in the library.

"Oh boy . . ." Kristoff muttered. He had noticed something that nobody else had.

"JACKSON!" Jack winced at his mother's voice.

"WHAT ON THE EARTH WERE YOU THINKING!?"

"Anna, I'm _so_ getting you for this . . ." Jack uttered, glaring at her. Anna chuckled nervously.

"WELL!?"

"Hi?" Jack asked, getting a furious gaze from his mother in return.

"Ummmmm . . ." Kristoff said, staring past the families.

"Elsa, Anna what do you have to say for yourselves?" The king asked, crossing his arms.

"Going into scary mode." Anna whispered to her sister, Elsa nodded.

"Why would you two even _think_ about kidnapping the princesses!?" Gerda shrieked. Kristoff's attention was completely on her now and Jack had a confused look on his face.

"_Kidnapped_? Weren't there memories of us planni-" Kristoff began, but the mayor's wife cut him off.

"They were fake obviously!" The boys stared at her.

"You're kidding." Jack said. She glowered at him severely.

"You're not kidding. Okay, Anna you're up." Jack glanced back at her as he said this.

"Why me!?"

"You're the one who wanted to let them know about the truth!" He answered.

"Hey, guys-" Kristoff was cut off again.

"Well . . . we . . . err . . ." Anna started, Elsa rubbed her temple and glanced at Jack. He shrugged in return.

"Long or short version?" Jack asked glancing up at the image.

"Jack . . ." Kristoff said, trying to get his friends attention.

"What _is_ it Kristoff!?"

"Would now be a good time to mention that the door's been open the entire time?" The king whipped around and sure enough the whole town was there, watching the image since the beginning. Luckily it was a small town so everyone could fit inside the ball room with room to spare. Maybe around fifty people total knew the truth now.

"Thanks, Kristoff." Jack said giving his friend a glare. Several nervous chuckles around the room. Jack went to Anna's bag and got out the map, looking at intensely. The map itself was a wondrous object they had found that out later.

It constantly showed the prophecy and monsters, temples, along with strange objects. They quickly learned that, like Anna, the map could show visions of the future. Sometimes a monster that would be coming, would show up on the map, giving them time to prepare. But the prophecy was the thing that showed up the most. At this moment he was looking to see if there was anything coming, but before the parchment could focus on anything, his sister's voice made him look up.

"So?"

"Jack!" He stood up at Elsa's voice and looked at the darkness of the trees. Then he saw it. A dark one.

Dark ones were the top lieutenants of the man in black. Or the evil thing that was in the prophecy. They always seemed to love attacking them. And they were ruthless. Devia was one, the banshee queen, and her arrow nearly killed him. The dark one emerging from the trees, however, wasn't Devia.

"You know really should learn the difference between dreams . . ." Autar's voice caused everyone to become silent. "And reality." He finished, removing his silver mask with a black wand. The four immediately went back to back, with Jack facing the warlock.

Autar was one of the more important ones, an evil wizard. He didn't look that old, maybe twenty, but Jack knew better. His cropped white hair, grey eyes, and black cloak made him look terrifying in the fire's glow.

"What do dreams have to do with anything?" Jack asked holding his sword of ice out in front of him.

"Wasn't it a dream that showed you your future, or a nightmare? Either way, you'll die. You have no idea about what you're up against . . . Now hand over the prophecy." Jack knew he wanted the map. It showed their prophecy, but apparently the dark ones and the man in black, didn't know it.

"Do anything to us and I'll throw it in the fire." He answered evenly. Elsa stiffened up next to him, and Jack turned his head slightly. Several more dark ones had surrounded them. All masked.

A cackle made them all look back at Autar. Another dark one had come up behind him. Kristoff knew who it was before she took off her mask. Viessa.

"He knows how to play!" The witch crowed at him. Kristoff tensed up and narrowed his eyes at her. Viessa saw him and she smiled wickedly. Her long, tangled, black hair and dark eyes made her seem wicked, and she was.

"Kristoff, isn't it? How's mom and dad?"

Anna put a hand on his chest to keep Kristoff from lunging forwards. She had killed his parents and tried to murder him as well. But she hadn't been able too. The map had shown him this, but he didn't know why.

"Now let's all calm down, shall we? All we want is the prophecy . . ." Autar calmly stated.

"Why do you need this?" Jack asked, his fingers gripping it more tightly. The worn paper wrinkling slightly from his grip. Elsa nudged him and he saw that dark wolves had joined their masters.

"You dare question us? You filthy human!" Viessa shrieked, her voice echoing through the forest. Everyone in Burgess flinched, but the four didn't blink.

"It's all right, he's just a curious lad, aren't you?" Autar told her. The dark ones were coming closer and they didn't have much time.

"It has only been given to you four, and that is quite an inconvenience for us, as we need to know as much as possible . . . You have it . . . Which is lucky for you really . . . Haven't you always wondered, why the wand only answers to you?" Autar asked, looking at Anna. She met his gaze furiously, before he went to Kristoff.

"Why Viessa was unable to kill you when you were just an infant?" Then his dead eyes considered Jack and Elsa.

"Don't you want to know the secret of your powers? All the answers are there, boy, in your hand . . . All you have to do . . . is give it to me . . . And I can show you everything . . ." The wolves were growling at them now, and the dark ones were only several yards away.

"We've waited seventeen years." Jack said, looking straight at Autar.

"I know." His voice was silky, trying to get them to trust him. But they knew better.

"I guess we can wait a little longer. Now!" And they attacked.

Elsa and Jack dodged and stabbed whatever tried to get near them. Kristoff had turned into a golden eagle and clawed at the dark ones, knocking off their masks, so that Anna could blind them.

Autar was suddenly in front of Jack with a sword of his own. His dark eyes challenging him, then he swung his sword. Kristoff had killed most of the dark ones, their black sand covering the snow, and he had transformed into a panther. Silently he creeped behind Autar.

And when the warlock realized he was surrounded by the two boys, he shouted to the other demons.

"Go!" Then he looked right at Jack. "We are a small assembly. You have no idea what you're up against." With that he turned into a column of black sand, and flew upwards.

Viessa abandoned her fight with Anna and Elsa, and followed suite. Many of the dark ones behind her.

"We got lucky." Anna said turning to the others. She had a bloody cut on her right arm and a scrape on her chin. Elsa's shoulder had been mauled and Kristoff had a series of long grazes down his neck.

Elsa glanced at Jack. He wasn't looking that good either. A deep gash across his chest and a cut above his eyebrow were both bleeding profoundly.

"Come on, we can't have Jack bleed to death. Anna get some bandages, and Kristoff get a pot and don't move your neck too much. Jack take off your shirt, that sword was probably poisoned." She ordered.

"That's not worrisome." He muttered as he did what she asked.

"_What_ was that?"

"Nothing, nothing . . ." He told her as she took the bandages from Anna.

As Elsa began to clean up Jack's cut, Anna examined the map.

"Why in the world would they go through all that trouble for a piece of parchment? We know the prophecy, why not just torture us until we told them? Like blackmail us or something . . ." She asked the others.

"Wow. You have dark thoughts." Kristoff told her as he put clean snow into the pot.

"I'm not offended in the slightest." She replied happily.

"What _were_ those things!?" Emma asked.

"Oh yeah, they're still here." Anna announced, looking up at the image.

"Those were dark ones, not fun. And why do they always like to use their poison on _me_?" Jack told his little sister then looked at Elsa.

"Why were they after you?" Rolfe asked them. Jack looked at the others. Elsa shrugged as she began to work on Kristoff.

"Do you want the long or short version?" Jack asked, running a hand through his hair.

"Let us start with the short version and go from there." A familiar voice said. The four whipped around, and the elderly troll looked at them evenly.

"Kristoff your transformation was too slow, and Anna you need to work on aim. Elsa, don't hold back as much. Jack focus on your technique. You were fighting a warlock not a gargoyle for heaven's sake!" Grandpabbie said, shaking his head.

"You decide to show up _now_!?" Anna said, incredulously. The troll scoffed at her.

"Better now than never . . . Ah, so you're finally telling your families the truth . . . Along with the whole town, but it's a start."

"Why are you here?" Kristoff asked him, curiously.

"Well, I reflected on that time when you were twelve, and decided to explain some more. And you might as well tell them the truth, no matter how terrifying."

"_We_ don't fully understand the truth!" Jack told him.

"Oh, yes . . . I told you that someday this would all make sense, I should probably start telling you right now . . ." Then the troll took a deep breath, as if he was going to tell a rather long explanation. The teenagers sat down and got ready for something big.

All four of them listened and watched.

* * *

**The next chapter is pretty much a story of some kind, or an explanation. I haven't decided which one to go with. Quote: **_**"Honesty is the first chapter of the book of wisdom." **_**Thomas Jefferson. Cheerio! ;) **


	10. Snow-gee

**Hello! This is a more detailed look into the whole prophecy, power, demonic beings thing. So . . . . . . Yeah.**

* * *

"Let's start with the "four who ruled". You already know who they are, but you don't know who they fought. The man in black is none other than the boogeyman himself. Pitch Black." They stared at him.

"So a made-up monster fought the most powerful beings _in the world _but _lost_!?" Anna said in utter disbelief.

"You can call it made-up all you want, but that arrow felt pretty real to me." Jack told her.

"Yes, his followers are quite real and so is he. The Battle of the Stars is what it's called. Fitting, as that practically _was _the battle. Never fight against the moon. But your talismans were lost. I believe they were hidden by someone . . ."

"Wait, what's that line? "They were scattered by the brave stars"?" Elsa asked, jumping up excitedly.

"Yeah, why?" Kristoff answered. Elsa didn't hear him. She was rooting through Anna's bag.

"Yes!" She finally cried holding up a thick book. Elsa handed it to Jack and he read the cover.

"Arendelle: the History of a Great Kingdom. You seriously brought the most boring book of all time with us!?"

"How do you know it's boring?"

"I _have_ read the entire library in Burgess at least twice." He answered, as if it was obvious.

"Of course, that's right! How could I have forgotten that!?" Elsa scoffed at him. She took her book back and sat down next to him, flipping through the pages.

"Here. _The stars fell during the beginning of winter, right after the year-long Battle of the Stars, as the people call it. So far it is believed that Arendelle is the only country to have had these falling stars come into our borders. The first sighting was of one star that had fallen near the ancient ruins of Spero._" She looked up at them, as if they understood. One of them did.

"That's it! Els, you're a genius!" Jack said with a snap of his fingers. He picked up the map, which he had dropped in the fight, and opened it.

Immediately, pictures of ruined temples, covered with moss and vines, appeared. Flowers of bright colors surrounded the area and several of the ancient columns had toppled. It must have been a great city, as many buildings along the hillside were huge and were incredible pieces of architecture. Then it flashed again.

A small crystal stone was on a necklace. It sat on a soft pile of moss, shining softly. The silver chain winked at him and the crystal seemed glow . . . No it _was_ glowing. Not softly anymore either. The stone glowed a bright light, which resembled that of Anna's wand.

"Spero? That ancient city that was abandoned about five-hundred years ago? Why would it be hidden there?" Kristoff asked as Jack showed them the parchment.

"Wait . . . Spero? Isn't that ancient Arendellian for hope?" Anna questioned. Grandpabbie nodded his head, staring at Anna in an intense gaze.

"Hope, I believe Anna, is your talisman."

"Hope?" The young girl asked in bewilderment.

"The rabbit, to be more precise." He added.

"Spero's west of here . . . We just have to get from here to there. We'll have to get past th-" Jack was cut off.

"Stop! Pause! What's going on here!? Spero!? Rabbits!? Hope!? Where are you guys going!? What are you talking about!?" Emma asked. Everyone in Burgess had a confused and slightly concerned look on their face.

Elsa and Jack looked at the image and then to each other.

"It's kind of a long story . . ." Jack said. Emma glared at him.

"Well can you sum it up!?" She cried, throwing her hands in the air. Jack shrugged and took a deep breath.

"We're the most powerful teenagers in the world and are after four ancient talismans that could destroy everything if put into the wrong hands. The most powerful childhood figures fought against their arch enemy, who is murderous and bloodthirsty, and is after those talismans. We're being hunted by the most terrifying and demonic beings that have ever roamed the earth that were sent by him, to stop us finding those talismans before he does. Anna has magical powers, Kristoff can speak to animals and turn into them at will, and me and Elsa have ice powers. When we were twelve we were attacked by a small gargoyle and a dark wolf, but that was just the beginning. We've been killing monsters and hiding our powers from everyone and planned to go after the talismans, but when villages started to be raided we decided to act sooner. So here we are, running from the most brutal demonic creatures on the planet . . . But . . . hey . . ." His little sister gaped at him.

"Hey!? You've been lying to us for more than eight years and you say "hey"!?"

"Umm . . ."

"What do you mean most powerful teenagers in the world?" A teenage boy stepped out of the assembled crowd. Jack narrowed his eyes.

Tallak. The golden-brown haired boy with cobalt eyes, looked at him with a sneer. Jack raised an eyebrow and the king observed the young man. Jack obviously didn't like the boy and Tallak didn't like him. Elsa felt the tension rising and she glanced to Kristoff for help.

"Did you not see the memories or the battle!? I mean-just _really_!?" Anna cried before Kristoff could say a thing. "I mean, I showed that stuff for a reason!"

Angrily, using her wand, she created another image to play next to former one. It started to play. It showed a young girl in carriage being tossed and tumbled about.

Elsa grinned. She remembered that. The excitement and anticipation to get to Burgess. The fresh snow on the ground. The bumpy ride. Well . . . _that_ wasn'tfun.

The image showed Elsa and Jack bumping into each other. Finding out about each other's powers. The lie about the plates. Meeting Emma. Leaving. Then it began the memories of when they were twelve.

The gargoyle. Grandpabbie. The prophecy and their quest. Anna's wand. Kristoff turning into a wolf. The interrupted speech from the mayor. The king talking to his daughters. The four friends planning.

Then it showed them yesterday. Anna and Elsa in the carriage. The four consulting. The dinner. The two girls leaving and meeting up with the boys. Jack and Elsa creating the snowstorm and running off into the night. And then it ended.

Dead silence. That was all Elsa could hear. A stunned bewildered silence. The queen broke it.

"Why didn't you tell us?"

"You would have stopped us. Tried to help. This is our battle and I think we're meant to fight it alone . . . And I think you know it too." Elsa answered.

"Do you even know what you're up against?" Mrs. Overland whispered, looking at her son.

"Not a clue."

"Are you scared?" Emma asked.

"Terrified." Jack answered with a small grin. Elsa shook her head and looked down at her book.

_No one dared to investigate the area where it was believed the star had crashed. Spero fell in a mysterious veil of secrecy right after its demise. The truth of the fall of the ancient city remains a mystery, as all that have gone to search it, disappeared without a trace. Locals near the area of the ruins say they hear clawing and hissing at night. The swampy area is a place where few enter and none leave. This adds to the mystery of Spero. There is no hope of finding a star there._

Clawing and hissing? Swamps? What could be the cau- It suddenly made sickening sense.

"Hey, um, Jack?" He turned, concerned at the nervous sound of her voice.

"What's wrong?"

"I think I know why Spero's abandoned."

"And that is . . ." Anna asked. Elsa hesitated then took a shaky breath.

"Well . . . Have any of you guys ever fought a . . . hydra?"

"Please tell me you're kidding." Jack said. Elsa shook her head and handed him the book. He quickly read it and cursed under his breath.

"Oh joy. Let's see . . . It breathes fire, has nine heads, a taste for people, and is poisonous."

"So that means it should go after Jack." Kristoff summed up. Jack flicked his wrist and the snow fell off the branch above Kristoff. "What?" He asked, shaking the snow out of his hair.

"How do you know that?" Anna asked a little impressed. Jack shrugged.

"I've read the library, remember? Granted it was a mythology book, so I don't know if it's true, but they live in swamps."

"Well, now you know what you're up against and where the first talisman is. Good luck." With that the ancient troll walked into the woods and disappeared.

"Hold on, you expect me to let my two daughters just go off and fight a man-eating beast!?" The king asked, shocked.

"Been there, done that." Anna replied cheerfully. Elsa rolled her eyes.

"Well, at least Kristoff has had some experience with a Black Dragon." Elsa said. Kristoff held up his hand.

"It was a _small_ one."

"It was still a dragon. That's _something_ like a hydra . . . Isn't it?" Anna asked. Kristoff shook his head.

"What did you mean _raided villages_?" Gerda asked suddenly. They all froze. A long silence, during which the four teens tried to come up with words to describe it. Finally Jack answered.

"Raided villages are towns that were . . . raided . . . of their people. Not a trace of them. They were just _gone_."

"Oh." The queen sat down in a chair, hard. He knew how hard it must have been for the royal family especially. Elsa had been silent and Anna was furious when the map had shone them the first image. Jack wasn't sure why the villagers were being taken. No one did.

"What monsters have you battled?" Rebecca asked, changing the topic. She directed it mostly to Jack, but Anna was the one who answered.

"Banshees, wizards, warlocks, dragons, vampires, hags, ghouls, werewolves, gargoyles, dark wolves, ghosts, phantoms, ogres, goblins, nightmares, giants, gnomes, necromancers, witches, and . . . oh yeah, one troll. Plus there's all the other meanies that we're about to meet."

"Gee, is that all?" Emma asked sarcastically.

"Probably not. I gave you the short list."

"Kristoff, who was that witch?" Emma asked looking at him. Silence.

"She . . . killed my parents . . . and tried to murder me . . . She couldn't . . . I don't know why." Pitied looks were given to him.

"Why?" Emma asked in a whisper.

"I don't know. Maybe she just liked death."

"How long will you be gone?" Mrs. Overland, changing the topic. Jack hesitated.

"No idea. Hopefully soon . . . We might not come back at all . . ." He answered in a solemn tone. His mother nodded, her face white. Emma gave him an annoyed look.

"No! You better be coming back, that includes from the dead!" She said, stomping her small foot on the wooden floor. Jack sighed and shook his head with a small smile. "Promise you'll come back."

Jack grinned and put his right hand over his heart. "I promise." Emma nodded, satisfied. Then a small smirk decorated her face.

"So . . . Are you and Elsa a thing?" A shocked look was on both teens faces and several laughs went throughout the room. Before either one of them could say a thing however, Anna answered.

"Well, we've been _trying_ to tell them that for ages! But do they listen? Noooo!" Jack and Elsa's cheeks turned a bright pink. Kristoff chuckled and laughs went through Burgess. Anna sniggered and flicked her wand at the pair.

Immediately, Elsa was flung backwards. Jack was also thrown back and landed on the ground with a thud and Elsa fell on top of him.

"Um, hi?" He said, cocking his head slightly. She rolled her eyes, stood up, and offered him her hand. She realized her mistake as soon as he took it and pulled her down next him.

"Oh ha-ha." She told him with a shake of her head, but she was grinning. With a small laugh, she pushed him into the snow. Jack sat up, shaking the snowflakes from his hair. He smirked and a small puff of ice crystals blew into Elsa's face and she gave a small sneeze. A sudden pop above their heads made them look up.

A tiny creature fell onto Jack's head. It looked like a tiny snowman with little snow legs and two coal eyes. A delighted smile appeared on its face when it saw Elsa. "Snowgee!"

Jack raised an eyebrow at her, but Elsa shook her head. She had no idea what it was. The little creature jumped off of Jack and sat in front of Elsa. "Snowgee?" Jack blinked and Elsa sniggered.

"Elsa, control your little snowman or whatever it is, because _that_ was ever so slightly offensive."

"I thought it was cute." She answered with a small smile. The Snow-gee walked over to Jack and stopped in front of him. "Snow gee? Snow?"

Elsa burst out laughing and Jack glared at her. Quickly she coughed several times into her fist, but couldn't stop grinning. The Snow-gee was now sitting on Jack's leg and cocked his head at the boy. "Snowgees?"

Jack's cheeks reddened and he rubbed his temple with his hand. Elsa had also turned a light pink and didn't look at him. Anna and Kristoff were confused.

"What?" Kristoff asked, voicing everyone's thoughts. Both teens now had their attention on the confused crowd of people.

"You don't understand him?" Elsa said cocking her head. Anna stared at her sister.

"You do?" Elsa nodded. Jack wasn't paying attention.

"Elsa, how do you get them to let go?" He asked, trying to get Snow-gee off of his leg. "Command? Non-stick spray?" He looked at her hopefully. "Crowbar?"

Elsa gave Snow-gee a stern look and the little snowman sighed. He jumped off of Jack and sat between the two friends.

"When did this start happening?" Kristoff asked, gesturing to Snow-gee. Jack shrugged and looked to Elsa. She shook her head.

"Snowgee." The creature said.

"Hey!" Jack protested. Elsa giggled and he scowled at her.

"Okay, okay I'm sorry." She laughed.

"Really? Sorrier than when you were when you froze me to that tree? Sorrier than when you were when you practically turned me into a snowman? Sorrier than-"

"Just one second." Elsa told the snow creature. Then she turned to Jack. "Not important right now!" She said hitting him in the arm with each word. Jack looked offended.

"Or when you violently slapped me in the woods?" He became silent when Elsa gave him an annoyed glare, but she cracked a grin.

"What is it?" Anna asked. The little creature looked at her.

"Snowgee!" It said happily. Kristoff seemed confused.

"What did he say?"

"That he's a flesh-eating, evil, slightly annoying little snowman." Jack answered, miffed.

"Snowgee." The creature told the boy. Jack gave him a glare.

"Anything else you all have forgotten to mention?" Mrs. Overland asked. Anna shrugged, still looking at the Snow-gee.

"I still cannot believe you four just ran off!" The king huffed. Elsa glanced up at her father and the rest of the town. She sighed.

Suddenly the image of her parents flickered and Anna muttered something under her breath.

"The moonstone's power is failing . . . No wonder we've been talking for at least three hours. It's only a matter of time before-" The image of their parents went dark. The magical dust floated down to Anna and became a cube shaped stone again.

"Well . . . At least we know where we're going next." Kristoff stated, to no one in particular.

"Yep. Spero. The place of man-eating, poison spitting, not to mention fire-breathing monsters." Jack said cheerfully.

"Snow gee gee." The creature said solemnly. Elsa and Jack both nodded in agreement.

"Okay, Jack and Elsa you two take first watch. Wake Kristoff and me at midnight, so we can take the second watch. Night." Anna told the others, and she walked into the tent that she shared with her sister. Kristoff shrugged and went into the other tent. Jack and Elsa looked at each other.

"Snowge?" The little snowman asked.

"Elsa, will you be mad if I turn him into a snow cloud?" Jack questioned, glaring at Snow-gee. In return the snowman stuck his tongue out at the boy and Elsa hit him on his arm.

"What!? It was just a question!" He told her, rubbing the place where she'd hit him. Elsa rolled her eyes and leaned against the log, looking upwards to the sky.

"Full moon tonight." She said quietly. Jack sat next to her and put an arm around his friend's shoulders. She looked at him and their eyes met. They were the color of glaciers in the moonlight, he noticed. He couldn't look away. Did he want to look away?

"Snowgeo?" Snow-gee smirked at the couple. Jack glanced at him then back to Elsa. Both of them had turned a crimson red.

"You _might_ want to keep him out of my sight for the rest of the watch."

* * *

**Alright, I got the idea of Snow-gee from Frozen Fever and, as you can tell, he likes to annoy and pick-on Jack. The second image is basically a replay of chapters one through eight. Quote: **_**"Seek truth and you will find a path." **_**Frank Slaughter. Bye!**


	11. Wings

**I AM ON SUMMER BREAK! YAY! Well actually not YAY, my first year of middle school was pretty awesome. Best teachers **_**ever**_**, not kidding. Wait . . . can you be in middle school if you're technically in an elementary school? Sorry, I'm from a small county and my "middle school" is actually a hallway, so . . . Anywho, here's chapter eleven! **

**Oh, and to Nlresda123, I had thought about that and I decided that Elsa and Jack would give "hints" so that you'd have an idea on what Snow-gee was saying. To be honest I wanted a character who could talk, but you never really knew what he meant. So I'm using cues and the setting to give you guys an explanation of what the little guy is saying. Example . . .**

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"SNOWGEE!" Jack's eyes flew open and he shot up, only to hit the top of the canvas tent. He sat down and glared at the small snowman, which smiled happily.

"Jack, you okay?" Anna's voice called out. He grabbed the snow creature in one hand and crawled out of the tent. Jack stood up and marched to Elsa, who was sitting on one of the logs by the fire.

"Keep the little monstrosity away from me." He muttered at her. She looked up at him amused.

"Alright, what did he do?" She asked with a small smile.

"If I'm going to be woken up, I would appreciate it if the wake-up call was_ not _yelled into my ear. And the sun hasn't even risen yet!" He answered, holding up Snow-gee by his head. The little creature held out his little snow arms as if to say "save me!" Elsa smirked.

"Oh, I asked him to do that." She said innocently. He glared daggers at her.

"Snowgemi" the creature said.

"I do not!" Jack protested and he glanced to Elsa for help. She grinned and looked back at the map.

The images of Spero had seemed slightly familiar ever since Jack had shown them the pictures. It reminded her slightly of . . .

"I know a place where we can stop!" She cried. Jack looked at her surprised and Kristoff put down the firewood he had gotten from farther back in the woods.

"Okay . . . Jack why do you have Snow-gee in your hand?" The blonde asked his friend.

"Oh, you missed it, but what do you mean Elsa?" Anna asked looking up from the porridge she was stirring.

"The Valley of the Living Rock!" Elsa told her happily.

"The what?" Jack asked.

"It's where Grandpabbie and the trolls live! I remember it from when I was little! Spero reminded me of it because of the rock formations and wildlife. It _must_ be near the same area!"

"What?" Kristoff replied. Elsa huffed, exasperated.

"Pabbie and his family live in a place close to where we want to go." She said slowly.

"Snoooo . . ." Snow-gee said, realizing what she meant.

"Well, what's the quickest way to get there?" Jack asked, finally dropping Snow-gee on the ground. The snowman sat up and muttered some not-so-nice Snowian words at Jack. The teen gave a glare in response.

"Umm . . ." Elsa thought, then snapped her fingers. "Horses!"

"Why not use dragons out of ice or something, so we can avoid obstacles?" Anna asked.

"People would panic." Kristoff answered. Anna shrugged.

"Fair point . . . So Kristoff will become a horse, you two will create one, and me?"

"Why not use your magic?" Jack asked. Anna shifted.

"I don't think my magic is supposed to create life. Something tells me I shouldn't . . ."

"You'll ride Kristoff." Elsa responded.

"I will?"

"She will?"

"You will." Elsa told them.

"Why?" Kristoff asked.

"Well Anna can't use her magic for life and you'll be _horse _so . . ." Jack told them, taking a biscuit from the food bag. Kristoff hesitated then turned to Anna.

"If I get back pains when I'm old, I'm blaming you."

"I am _so_ not that heavy!" She returned, miffed. Kristoff shrugged, not convinced. Then distant howl pierced the air and they all froze.

"Anna, now!" Jack told her, and with a flick of a wand the campsite disappeared. Kristoff became a large palomino with brown eyes in seconds and Anna quickly mounted him.

Elsa envisioned a horse made of ice and a huge stallion appeared. His white coat and sparkling mane gave him a mystical appearance and his light blue eyes flashed with power. Elsa collapsed from a sudden wave of exhaustion.

"Jack, don't! We can't have both of you unconscious!" Anna said frantically, cutting Jack's thoughts about the horse he was about to create. He nodded and tossed Snow-gee onto his shoulder. Then he shook Elsa's shoulder, waking her up.

"Come on!" Jack told her, helping stand. Elsa nodded, and Jack mounted the horse offering her a hand. She took it and he pulled her up in front of him.

Elsa gripped the horse's mane and tried to stay conscious. Jack wrapped his arms around her and immediately the horse shot off.

"Elsa, you have to stay awake!" He told her as they jumped over a fallen tree, Snow-gee hanging onto Jack's shoulder for his life. She nodded, but he could tell she was already slipping into sleep.

"Come on, Els! Which way do we go!?" He asked. Jack knew the answer, west, but she had to stay awake.

"West . . ." She answered quietly.

"Good, good." Jack whispered to her. He looked back and saw that his fears had come true.

Enormous dark wolves and several nightmares were chasing them. The black horses with their glowing a sickly gold color, were horrid. Their hooves never touched the ground, as they turned into black sand. The wolves gnashed their disordered fangs and gave Jack a terrifying blood-red glare.

They were gaining.

"Anna!" Jack yelled. The girl looked back and her eyes widened.

"What should we do!?" Jack thought, and a plan started forming. It was insane.

"I have an idea! It's a little bit crazy!"

"What is it!?"

"Kristoff! Do you think you can grow wings!?" The palomino glanced at him, nearly hitting a tree in the process. His gaze was full of shock.

_You're crazy man! _His voice yelled in Jack's head.

"You're insane!" Anna shouted at him.

"If I wasn't this would probably never work!" He shouted back. Then he leaned forward to whisper into Elsa's ear.

"Okay, Kristoff ready when you are!" Anna yelled at him. Jack didn't know if Kristoff had sprouted wings or not, he wasn't focusing on them.

"Hey, Els. I know you're tired, but I need you to help me . . . Please." He whispered in her ear. Several seconds passed, they felt like hours. Jack prayed she hadn't fallen asleep. Then, slowly, she nodded.

"What do we need?" She asked.

"Wings. We need to give him wings."

Elsa nodded again. She would surely faint after this . . . or worse, but she got ready to do the magic.

Jack's hands found hers and they imagined a pair of wings on the horse. And it happened.

A beautiful pair of silver wings sprouted from their horse and they lifted from the air. Elsa slumped forward and Jack caught her before she could fall off the horse.

He glanced back. Even though the dark wolves were now on the ground, the nightmares were not. They raced towards them, in hatred and anger.

"Jack!" Anna yelled. He glanced at her and saw that Kristoff now had golden wings. Anna was using her wand to shoot pure light at the nightmares. Jack willed a bow to form in his hand and began to shoot arrow after arrow.

Eventually, every nightmare had turned into black sand, falling towards the ground. Jack took several breaths and glanced at the girl in front of him. Elsa was still unconscious and he knew that staying up in the air was dangerous, as she could fall.

"Hey we have to get to the ground!" He yelled to the others.

"Why? This is amazing!" Anna yelled. Jack blinked and looked around him. It took several seconds until he realized that he was _flying_. And it was incredible.

The clouds around him were streaked in gold, orange, and coral light. The cool air hit his face and made his hair whip around. He grinned. He loved it. Then Elsa mumbled something in her sleep and he came back to reality.

"Yeah! Yeah it is, but-"

"Hold on!" Anna yelled. And she pulled out the moonstone from the bag at her hip. It was several seconds until it lit up and Anna immediately threw it in front of her. _Prophet's sight _Jack thought with a small grin.

The image stayed several yards between the horse and Kristoff. It showed the main hall. Breakfast was being served and Jack felt a small stab of jealousy. He never got to finish his biscuit.

The town was gathered and several conversations were going about the room. Emma was the one who had activated the moonstone and she was holding a small plate of food. She dropped it when she saw where they were. The shatter caused all heads to turn and jaws drop.

"Are you flying!?" She asked, eyes wide. Jack shrugged and looked around him.

"Pretty sure . . . If not then I have an awesome imagination." Her eyes went to Kristoff and Anna.

"Is that Kristoff!?"

_No, horses with wings come in all sorts of colors, shapes, and sizes. Would you like to see our list? _He asked. The queen suddenly stood up.

"What happened to Elsa!?" She cried, fear in her voice.

"She's unconscious, so I would like to get to the ground _now_." Jack answered, then looking at Anna pointedly. She sighed.

"Fine . . . There's a clearing over there." She said pointing down to the ground. A thick forest lay beneath them, and a small meadow with a tree overlooking a stream offered a moments rest.

"Got it."

"It seems safe and the horses can get a drink." Anna told him. She realized her mistake as soon as the words came out of her mouth.

_Excuse me!? Horses!? Plural!? I am _no _horse!_ Kristoff said in annoyance.

"Horse! I meant the horse! Kristoff don't-" But he hurdled to the meadow, wings tucked in. Jack grinned and his horse followed, but more calmly.

Anna shrieked as Kristoff landed, transforming into himself and was holding Anna in his arms. He set her down smugly.

"You thought about throwing me into the creek didn't you?" She huffed, folding her arms.

"It may have crossed my mind . . ." He answered with a grin as Jack landed next to them. He held Elsa damsel-in-distress style and walked over to them.

"Any ideas?" He asked, laying Elsa down on the grass underneath the tree. Snow-gee tugged on his ear. "Yes?" Jack asked him.

"Snoyo?" He asked and devilish grin spread across Jack's face. A small vase appeared in his hands and Jack walked over to the stream.

"She isn't gonna like that . . ." Kristoff warned as Jack filled the vase up with water.

"What's he gonna do?" Anna asked and the townspeople looked at Jack in confusion.

"Yeah . . . But revenge is sweet." He smirked. Kristoff took Anna's arm and they backed away several steps. Jack walked towards the sleeping girl and Snow-gee jumped off his shoulder hiding behind Anna's legs.

"Jack what are you-" Mrs. Overland never finished her sentence. Jack splashed the water onto Elsa and the girl's eyes snapped open. The next thing Jack knew he was pushed up against the tree, a knife made out of ice underneath his chin.

Elsa's eyes flashed angrily and even though she was soaking wet, it didn't make her any less terrifying.

"You . . . did . . . not." She said slowly. Jack gave her an easy smile.

"What goes around, comes around." He told her cheerfully. She gave him a strong kick to the shin.

"Geez! Alright, alright I won't do it again, but can I say one thing? It was Snow-gee's idea." Elsa glared at the snowman, who was peeping from behind Kristoff's legs.

"Snogeem!" He protested.

"It _was your_ idea!" Jack told him. Elsa pressed the knife against his throat. "I would put my hands up, but you _kind of_ got me pinned here." He continued.

"Oh, please as if either one you mind it." Anna scoffed making both of their cheeks turn red.

"Kristoff?" Jack asked his friend. Anna's eyes widened.

"My pleasure." The boy responded picking Anna up and jumping into the air, turning into a palomino again. Then he shot up, Anna holding on to his mane as Snow-gee held onto one of her braids. The image followed and Jack and Elsa were alone.

Elsa's eyes went back to Jack and he gave a weak smile.

"Hi?" He said cautiously. Elsa rolled her eyes and took a step back letting Jack go.

"Well, at least we know you have fast reflexes . . ." Jack told her, rubbing his neck. She grinned and looked around.

Her gaze fell onto the horse.

"He's a beauty isn't he?" Jack told her. She nodded and Jack raised his fingers to his lips and gave a low whistle. The horse stopped his grazing and looked at them, before galloping across the field to join the two.

"Have a name for him yet?" Jack asked, stroking the horse's muzzle. Elsa rubbed the ice creature's shoulder and thought for several seconds.

"Fortis." She decided. Jack nodded in approval.

"Valiant is what that means, right?" He asked.

"Yes . . ."

"You know you should thank me for saving your life."

"You did?"

"Nearly fell off him, would've been eaten and you're welcome." Jack explained with a pointed look at Elsa. She shrugged.

"So it was pretty much any other day that I'm stuck with you." She summed up.

"Hey, you owe me one." He told her.

"Yeah, yeah . . ." She replied sarcastically. He raised an eyebrow and a childish grin spread across his face.

"You dare speak to me like that you unworthy sea rat!?" He asked. Elsa smiled, remembering the pirate game they used to play.

"I _do_ dare you no good pirate captain!" She laughed.

"Then it's overboard with you!" He cried, lifting her over one shoulder. She laughed as he walked over to the creek.

"Okay! Okay! You win!" She cried. She was still giggling when Jack set her down. Then she noticed how close they were.

Her hands rested on his chest and his were still holding her waist. Jack's eyes met hers and they stared at each other. She noticed the small specks of gold in his eyes and how they caught the light, making them seem fuller of mischief than they really were.

_Ahem._

They jumped away from each other and both looked up, their faces red. Anna smirked down at them and Kristoff seemed amused. Elsa noted, with relief that the image had disappeared.

_Only Anna, Kristoff, and Snow-gee saw us when- Oh no. Great. Just great. _Elsa thought.

"Really? And you guys say that you're _not_ a thing?" Elsa felt her face burning and saw that Jack was examining the ground, his face also crimson.

_C'mon lovebirds! We're off to Spero!_ Kristoff said cheekily. And the other three took off into the sky.

Jack glanced at her and their eyes met again. She looked away first. He whistled to Fortis and the stallion came racing towards them.

Jack mounted him and the horse walked over to Elsa. Jack offered her a hand and she hesitated before taking it. When she did he pulled her up and she sat behind him, cautiously gripping his shoulders.

Fortis trotted in place, eager to be off.

"You're going to want to hold on tighter if you don't want to fall." He warned, but before she could do anything Fortis had lifted off.

Elsa gasped and hugged Jack, so she wouldn't fall off. She felt him chuckle and rolled her eyes, even though she knew he couldn't see her.

"I know you're rolling your eyes at me, princess. Don't even try to deny it." She laughed quietly and heard Anna's voice.

"This way lovebirds!" Her sister yelled. Elsa blushed and looked to where her sister was. Anna laughed at them and she and Kristoff started flying to the west.

"You ready?" Jack asked her.

"No." Elsa answered, honestly.

"You sure?"

"Yes."

"You sure you sure?"

"Yes."

"You sure you sure you sure?"

"Jack!" She laughed.

" Alright." He chuckled and they sailed off to Anna and Kristoff. All of them heading to the Valley of the Living Rock. And all of them a little bit scared.

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**I liked doing this chapter with the help of my cousin (I did it all by myself, she nagged me the whole time). Anyway, what did you guys think of the Jack and Elsa moment in this chapter? Quote: **_**"When; A girl is in love, you can see it in her smile. When; A guy is in love, you can see it in his eyes." **_**No clue on who said that****.**** Bye!**


	12. Never Say Never

**Hey guys, I'm up here in Pennsylvania, visiting my awesome relatives, who you would wish you had, but then I'm going to Ohio. So I'm everywhere but my dear home, and I'm pretty much using whatever computer I can get my hands on, so it took me nearly ten minutes until I was able to get onto my flash drive. Appreciate this chapter is all I will tell you.**

**Denise Siah: Yeah, I own like **_**every **_**book by Rick Riordan. Not kidding. And I **_**finally**_** convinced my little brother to read them! But I was starting to run out of monster ideas. Luckily I was **_**obsessed **_**with Greek mythology when I was in third grade, turned out to be very helpful. Using several books, digging around in my memory, and (duh) using the internet, I found out **_**a lot **_**of information about hydras . . . who will be appearing soon . . . **_**Love **_**your work, just to let you know.**

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"We're lost."

"No we are _not_ lost."

"Yeah, Els, we're lost."

"No I'm . . . just having trouble remembering _exactly_ where to go."

"In other words, we're lost."

"Jack."

"Yeah?"

"Shut up." Jack grinned, shaking his head slightly. They had been going back and forth for about an hour, and Elsa still hadn't admitted they were lost. But . . . they were.

"Don't you have a _map_?" He asked. Elsa huffed, and he felt one of her hands leaving his waist and going to her belt. Elsa pulled the map from the belt and opened it, which was tricky as she was using one hand to open it, the other to make sure she didn't fall off, and she was several hundred feet in the air.

"Like I said before, the _map isn't being a map_! It's still flashing pictures."

"So this is based purely off of memory now?" Anna called. Elsa glanced up to see her sister, who was looking at her from the back of a golden palomino, which was Kristoff. And he was _not_ horse.

"In my defense, I was like _seven_ when I went there! You guys are asking me to remember something from _ten years_ _ago_!"

"To sum it up, we're lost." Jack continued. Elsa folded the map back up, and stuck it into her belt.

"No, we're _not_!" She said, putting her arm around him again.

"Then, what are we?" He countered.

"The thing between lost and not lost." She replied, stubbornly. Jack let out a groan. Why did he even bother arguing with her? He would lose even if he was _right_.

"Snoweemik!" Snow-gee yelled from Anna's shoulder.

"That's what I've been trying to tell her!" Jack shouted back. Fortis whinnied. He was getting tired and Kristoff wasn't beating his wings that enthusiastically anymore.

"Look, either way, we have to set up camp! Kristoff and Fortis are tiring! There's a small clearing over there!" Jack pointed to a clearance that was settled in-between several steep hills. Large and small moss-topped rocks were everywhere, but the middle was free from everything except grass and moss.

Elsa sighed and nodded. Jack knew she didn't want to admit it, but she was exhausted. Creating Fortis had really drained her.

_Doesn't look that bad . . ._ Kristoff told them as he began to dive down to the area. Fortis followed and landed softly on the ground.

Jack jumped down and Elsa followed. Elsa suddenly stumbled and Jack caught her shoulders, making sure she wouldn't fall. She cast him a grateful glance and he returned it with a kind smile. Elsa walked over to Anna and Jack found himself thinking about what had just happened. It confused him.

Elsa could take care of herself. She was easily better with a dagger and bow than he was, though he had her at the sword and staff. She could fight, was intelligent, and . . . beautiful. Wait, _what_!?

Where had _that_ thought come from!? When did he think of Elsa as _beautiful_!? She was his friend. That was it. That was all she could ever be. Someday she would be married off to a prince and that would be that.

The thought made him wince.

The girls missed it. Kristoff did not.

"Alright, what's bugging you?" He asked, as the girls created the camp. Jack shook his head, and Kristoff watched his friend. Then a slow smile started to creep across his face.

"What?" Jack asked, confused. Kristoff simply shrugged, though the smile stayed.

"Nothing . . ." The blonde told him, his eyes went to Elsa then back to Jack. Jack blinked.

"No no no no no _no_. Get that thought out of your head. Bad Kristoff! Very bad, Kristoff!" Jack teased, but his eyes betrayed him.

"Hey, face it man. She's pretty, smart, can fight, and is the only person who can win an argument with you. That and you guys trust each other with your lives." Kristoff reasoned. Jack shook his head.

"I don't like her. That's your imagination. And besides even if I did . . ." He trailed off. Kristoff glanced at him.

"Even if you did . . ."

"She'd be married off to a prince, Kristoff. This isn't a _fairytale_, this is _life_. That's how it _works_!"

"Well, you're right about one thing . . ."

"That is?"

"We're not living a fairytale . . . but then again . . . We aren't exactly living a _normal_ life, now are we . . ." Jack looked confused.

"Then what are we living?"

"A legend. And in a legend . . . anything is possible." Kristoff grinned at him.

"Really? Even you getting together with Anna?" Jack smirked and Kristoff's face went from a grin to a look of shock.

"No-no. I don't- She doesn't- I mean! How did this conversation change so fast!?"

"What conversation?" Anna's voice made them both jump.

"Nothing!" They said in unison. Elsa walked over and raised an eyebrow.

"They only do that when they're lying . . ." She told Anna.

"No we don't!" They cried out again. The sisters glanced at each other, and then back to the boys.

"Right." Anna said. Both boys opened their mouths again, but quickly shut them, glancing at each other. Elsa laughed and Anna shook her head and both were about to walk towards the campsite, when the shaking began.

"Earthquake!?" Anna shouted.

"No! Not violent enough!" Kristoff yelled, desperately trying to keep his balance. Then it suddenly stopped. Jack looked up from his feet and his jaw dropped.

"Trolls." He said, astonished. Elsa turned to him, a triumphant smile on her face.

"I _told_ you we weren't lost!" She cried. Jack rolled his eyes and focused his attention back onto the trolls.

They wore green vegetation clothes, had big noses, and had crystal necklaces that softly glowed. They whispered amongst themselves and one of them walked forward.

"I am Bulda. May I ask what you are doing here?"

"Well . . . you _may_." Jack answered, with a small grin. Bulda chuckled and shook her head.

"Are you here to see Grandpabbie?" She continued looking at Elsa. The girl nodded.

"Yes, but we're also here for a quick stop. We're heading to Spero you see and-" The trolls gasped at the mention of Spero.

"I do not recommend going in _there_, sweetheart. Terrible, terrible creatures live in that place! You'll be _killed_!" Bulda told them, her dark eyes wide. Jack knelt down next to her, his mischievous smile gone, his face serious.

"Terrible creatures?" He asked. Bulda nodded.

"Yes! Horrible, hissing, clawing creatures!"

"Bulda, are . . . those creatures near Spero?" Kristoff slowly questioned.

"Near it! They _live_ in it! Don't go!" She cried, grabbing Jack's arm. He shook his head, sadly.

"We have to . . . If we don't many people will be hurt . . . or worse." He told her. The troll's eyes widened and she took several steps back, as if seeing them for the first time.

"You're the four aren't you? The ones in the prophecy? You must see Grandpabbie . . . Come, come!" She hissed and gestured for them to follow her. They did.

Elsa fell into a step next to Jack, as Kristoff and Anna kept several feet behind them. Fortis and Snow-gee stayed at the camp. This was not meant for them.

Bulda led them to steep wall and knocked, three times, on it. Silently it opened and a passageway appeared.

"Follow it, only Gandpabbie has ever gone down there . . . He lives in there, no other troll has ever been in that place. But you must be the chosen ones! Go, go!" She ushered them into the passageway, sealing the rock wall behind them.

"Oh great. We're inside a mountain with no way back." Anna said sarcastically.

"Might as well go forward . . ." Jack muttered, and they began to walk. They walked for several minutes in silence, which was eventually broken.

"Is it me, or is the passage getting steeper?" Elsa asked. Kristoff looked around, suddenly noticing how steep it had gotten.

"No . . . it's actual-" He never finished his sentence. The passage had suddenly become smooth, slick, and nearly vertical. The four teenagers tumbled down the rest of the way.

Jack landed on the bottom, hard. Elsa fell on top of him.

"Ow." Jack muttered.

"Sorry." Elsa told him sheepishly. She got off him and presented a hand. Jack took it and she pulled him up. He suddenly realized how close they were.

They were nearly nose to nose and it was a moment until he realized his hand was still holding hers. Jack blinked and they both took a step back, cheeks slightly pink.

Elsa glanced towards her sister and Kristoff, and was surprised they weren't looking at her and Jack. Anna stood several feet away from Kristoff, their faces a flaming red. Elsa and Jack glanced at each other, but no longer embarrassed.

Jack cleared his throat and Anna jumped. Elsa looked at her, amused, but a sudden flash of light illuminated the cave and she whipped around.

At the far end of the cave a heavy wooden door stood. Another flash came from the few centimeters of space between the ground and door. Jack slowly walked towards it and turned the worn brass handle.

Elsa gasped.

A huge circular room had been sitting at the heart of the mountain. The stone walls were carved into shelves, stairs, and walkways. Thousands upon thousands of books sat next to vials full of strange liquids and wonderful objects. A large cauldron sat in the center, where an ancient troll was busy at work. He suddenly looked up at them.

"Took you long enough, come we haven't much time!" Pabbie muttered. He walked to a shelf and picked up what seemed like a thin chain of some sort.

"Kristoff!" The troll called, and the boy walked forward. When Kristoff came before the troll, he kneeled down.

"Yes, sir?" He asked quietly. The other three walked forwards, all curious.

"This, is for you." The troll told him. And Pabbie handed him the necklace. Kristoff gave him a skeptical look. The troll laughed. "No, it's not to make you look pretty. Examine the thing."

The silver chain wasn't that long, though the ornament upon it was rather strange. A small medallion hung from the chain, the antique bronze winking from the cauldron's fire. Odd symbols were carved into it and ancient runes told messages from times long ago.

"This, is a Telling Chain. You haven't met all of Mother Nature's brood. Many will want to take you down. Show them this, and it will not happen. For when you where this, you tell those creatures you are one of them. Because, Kristoff, you were _chosen_. You are loyal to the creatures of the world and to your friends." Kristoff slipped the chain around his neck and, for a moment, his eyes flashed with faith, reliability, and trust. "You, Anna, will have this." The troll told her.

Anna sat on her knees, her eyes blinking curiously.

"There may be a time when you will not be able to use magic . . ." Pabbie took a long knife from the shelf and placed it in her hands. "This is for when that time comes."

Anna unsheathed the weapon. The metal was polished so much that the knife showed her reflection perfectly.

"It is called Imago."

"Image." Anna translated. She peered at the knife, and then screamed. The blade dropped to the floor and Anna had covered her mouth with her hands.

"Ah, so you have found out how it has gotten its name . . . Yes, like you and the map, this blade shows the future."

"I saw- I saw the place where the villagers went." She whispered. Kristoff held her in his arms, and Anna trembled as she picked up the blade. Pabbie nodded his face grim.

"It has shown me that place as well. You are full of kindness, Anna. When you find them, remind them what it's like to be kind. Because where there is kindness, there is goodness. And where there is goodness, there is _magic_." Then he turned to Elsa and Jack. "Follow me." They did.

The group of five all walked up a set of stairs and stopped at another shelf. Wordlessly, Pabbie picked up a small crystal bottle. Then he handed it to Elsa.

"This is extract from the Snow Flowers that grow upon the North Mountain. Very rare and very difficult to get. Several drops will heal any injury and will bring a person back, even if they were lying upon death's doorstep." Elsa stared at the blue liquid in wonder. Pabbie continued, "You know what a healer has more than anyone else, Ms. Elsa?" The girl shook her head.

"No . . ."

"They have love. If one is good with medicine does not mean one should be a healer. A healer is honest, caring, and has love. Elsa, you have more love in your little finger, than most people possess in their whole body. A person's most powerful tool is love." Then he turned to Jack.

"Jack, that sword of yours might attract some attention." Pabbie grabbed a staff leaning against the wall. "Here." Jack took the staff and energy coursed through him.

"My boy, you're easily the most amusing person I have met . . . It's hard to have fun in these times. Maybe you should start showing them what it is like to laugh again." Pabbie continued. Jack examined the long staff in his hand.

The wood was practically buzzing with power. The top part hooked into what looked like the letter "G"

"I'm afraid this is all the help I can give you. Stay the night here and in the morning, fly with the sun on your backs. Good night." The old troll disappeared among the shelves and tables. Leaving four shocked teenagers to stare after him.

* * *

They had found that the passage was straight again and leaving was quite easy, except Elsa kept stumbling from exhaustion.

"Elsa just sleep, alright. You're not going to take any watches." Jack told her, as they reached the camp.

"But you can't keep guard by yourself!" She protested.

"Anna, talk some sense into your sister." Jack told the other girl. Anna stared at him.

"You think I can do that!"

"You can't?"

"No one can." Anna replied, crawling into her tent. Kristoff shrugged and went into his own shelter. Elsa gave Jack a smug look and walked over to Fortis.

"I win."

"I'm trying to think of a time you've lost." He chuckled. She gave him a smile and a comfortable silence fell between the two.

"What do you think we'll find?" Elsa whispered. It was so quiet that Jack could barely hear her.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"What Anna saw . . . the villagers . . ." Elsa's voice was full of pain as she walked over to him. She sat down next Jack and he hesitated before answering.

"I don't know." He finally answered. Her eyelashes fluttered, and he chuckled. "You may have won, but I'm still right."

"I'm fine." She responded. "What do you think of your staff?" Jack shrugged, and then glanced at the staff leaning against the log. He took it one hand and thought.

"It's strange . . . I feel this rush of power whenever I hold it. I-I can' explain it . . ."

"Odd isn't it . . ." Elsa trailed off. Jack glanced at her. Elsa's eyes were flickering and he knew she was fighting to stay awake.

"Hey, you can fall asleep . . ."

"No, I need to help you keep watch . . ." She mumbled leaning forward, and then stopping, waking up. Jack grinned putting an arm around her, so she wouldn't fall headfirst.

"I'm okay . . ." She told him, but she leaned against his shoulder, exhausted. He shook his head, amused.

"Even if I lost the argument, I'm still correct." He said softly. She barely nodded.

Her eyes closed and didn't open. Jack tucked a stray piece of Elsa's hair behind her ear. And his eyes stayed on her face just long enough for him to think about his conversation with Kristoff.

No, it was foolish. She'd be married off. Falling for a princess was thoughtless. It would lead only to heartbreak. Why would he be thinking about this anyway? Elsa was his friend. _That was it_.

She could _never_ be anything else.

"Never say never." A voice suddenly said in his ear. Jack looked behind him, but no one was there.

Yet the voice sounded distinctly like Bulda.

* * *

**And there you have it! Yes, I decided to put in Jack's staff, because why not? On another note, I was planning on doing a sequel to this story and I want to know what you guys thought about that . . . So . . . Quote: **_**"If you can't get someone out of your head, maybe they are supposed to be there." **_**Not a clue. Please tell me what you think about the sequel idea!**


	13. Spero

**I am so so so so so so so so ****_so_**** sorry about this late update, and for not telling you guys why I've been gone. So, on the 21****st**** of June I went to, hence the words, ****_nature camp_****, for two weeks. Then it was two weeks at governor school, and ****_now_**** I'm at the beach for a week. And after this, school starts on the 11****th**** of August . . . My summers are ****_really_**** busy. Anyway, enjoy the chapter, it's kind of short!**

* * *

"Wake up, Lovebirds!" Anna yelled, pouring her bucket of water onto the pair.

Elsa's eyes snapped open. She was soaked to the skin, and she vowed that the next person who poured water on her would have blocks of ice for feet. Then she caught Anna's smug grin.

"What?" The older sister demanded. Kristoff looked up from the fire and his eyes went from her to her left- Elsa mentally slapped herself.

Jack's arm was around her shoulder, and she must have been curled up next to him. Jack himself blinked in the morning sunlight, taking in the bright light. He shook his head and water droplets flew everywhere.

"Jack!" She cried, as the water splashed against her.

"What?"

Elsa glared at him.

"You're already soaked. What's a little more water going to do to you?" She glared at him some more.

Jack's hair was slightly messier than usual and water was still caught here and there. He was giving her that innocent look with his brown eyes. The look where he cocked his head a little to the side and got a small smile on his lips. Most girls would have melted if he had looked at them like that.

Anna glanced from Jack to Elsa. He was giving her _that_ look. His eyes often reminded Anna of a baby deer or a puppy. How Elsa ever won an argument with this guy baffled her.

"That doesn't work on me."

Kristoff rolled his eyes. _That_ look _never_ worked on Elsa.

The innocent expression dropped from Jack's face, and was replaced with a friendly grin.

He nudged her shoulder with his own and she gave him a small shove in return. Jack chuckled at her and stood up. He offered her a hand and Elsa gave him a skeptical glance. There was usually some catch. Jack knew what she was thinking.

"Come on, princess. No tricks this time." Elsa hesitated, bit her lip, and took his hand.

Jack pulled her up and they stood close together, hands still clasped. It might have been for just a second, but Elsa suddenly realized how much taller Jack was . . . and how much different he was now than from the boy she had first met.

Jack was maybe three-no four, inches taller than her. His jaw was stronger, and his face had become more mature. But his eyes . . .

They could be laughing or full of anger and horror. Sadness, fear, happiness . . . Then there was this look that he would sometimes give her. Elsa couldn't describe it . . . Kind of soft, but teasing . . .

A word started forming in her head, but Kristoff gave an awkward cough.

"_Anyway_, unless you to would like to stare at each other some more, then we're ready to leave." Elsa was about to give a retort, but Anna held up a hand.

"Just one sec." Anna took the moonstone from her bag at her hip, and tossed it into the air in front of her. The image formed and showed most of the town inside the main hall, breakfast was being served.

Elsa and Jack jumped away from each other.

The queen stood in front of the image, her hands clasped behind her back. A look of confusion mixed with relief flashed across her face.

"Thank the lord you're all right! I was worried we wouldn't be able to catch you before you got to Spero. And- . . . Elsa? Why are you and Jack all . . . wet?" She took a step back, and Mrs. Overland walked up next to her, also confused.

Anna opened her mouth gleefully, to say something that her sister and Jack would want to kill her for, but Elsa cut her off.

"_Don't even_." Anna shut her mouth, but a grin played on her features. Jack looked at her annoyed, and Snow-gee didn't improve his mood.

"Snowee, snofic. Sneeroa." Jack and Elsa's faces went pink.

"What about an icicle? Can I turn him into an icicle?" Elsa rolled her eyes at him. Jack shrugged. "Why not? He'd make a _wonderful_ icicle."

Emma looked up from her breakfast, and her eyes filled with curiosity. "Hey, Jack what's that?"

"What's what?" He asked, glancing at his sister slightly confused. She pointed behind him.

Jack glanced over his shoulder, at what she was pointing at. It was the staff. He walked over and picked it up.

"I don't really know . . . I mean it's a staff and Pabbie gave it to me, but I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do with-" A sudden burst of icy light shot out of the staff, hitting a large boulder across the small valley. Frost covered the rock in swirling patterns and designs, before the freezing temperatures made the boulder crumble into a fine icy dust.

Everyone stared at the powder for several moments.

"Well, _that_ answered the question." Kristoff said, breaking the stunned silence.

"Ummm . . . What about the rest of you?" Rebecca asked.

Kristoff pulled his Telling Chain from around his neck, and held it up. The ancient metal winked in the sunlight, as if it was glad to see light again.

Anna took her dagger from its scabbard. The blade reflected her face perfectly, before it flashed to an image of Spero.

This had been happening more and more frequently. Ancient buildings, columns, and crumbling walls would go through her mind's eye, before everything went back to normal. But that wasn't all she'd been seeing . . .

"See anything?" Kristoff asked peering over her shoulder, interrupting her thoughts. She nodded.

"Yeah, but it's only Spero. Nothing else." Kristoff raised an eyebrow, and Anna shook her head.

_Not now_, her eyes told him. Kristoff nodded and turned his gaze to Elsa, who was explaining what her cordial was.

Anna didn't want to tell anyone what she had been seeing. Kristoff knew that whatever it was, it was scaring her. It was terrifying her.

"Hey, Kristoff, we better get going. We want to make it to Spero before noon, if possible." Jack said. Kristoff looked up and saw that the image was gone and Anna had taken down the camp. Elsa and Jack stood by Fortis, Snow-gee sat on Jack's shoulder.

Kristoff nodded, and changed form. He shook his head and looked around, noticing that several trolls had come to watch them leave.

Anna quickly mounted him and curled her fingers through his mane. Kristoff quickly noted how tense she was.

He spread his wings and prepared to take off, but a yell made him stop.

"Wait! There's something you must know! Something I forgot to tell you!" Pabbie walked through the crowd, as fast as he could, and stopped before him.

Anna looked down at him, confused. Pabbie stared up at her with a grave expression on his face. Kristoff stomped a hoof, slightly nervous.

"Anna, whatever you face in there, you must remember that you're not alone. The thing that you will be against will look for your weaknesses . . ." He looked up at the other three. "You all have them, and you all have fears. Those talismans will not be easy to get, there will be . . . things protecting them. They will kill you if they get the chance, know your flaws and your fears and don't give them that chance . . . There's something else . . . I've discovered a metal that seems . . . _different_. I believe the Dark Ones have found a new weapon. The metal is called iron mortem, it is the most deadly thing to beings who have pure magic in their veins and you four are about as magical as it gets. A scratch in the right place can kill you. The toxicity is so strong, that'd you be dead before you felt any pain from the blade."

"Basically this . . . iron stuff . . . it can kill us with one cut?" Elsa asked. Pabbie shook his head then paused.

"It depends on how close it is to your heart. The closer it is, the more likely you're to die."

"So like, how fast does it kill you if it's, let's say, right above your heart?" Jack asked, his fingers clutching Fortis's mane tightly.

"If it's like a graze or something small?" Pabbie asked. Jack nodded. "Don't let that happen, you'd be dead before you realized you were cut." They all gulped. "Be ready for anything, and good luck."

Kristoff and Fortis lifted into the air, wings beating rapidly. It wasn't long before they were flying through the sky and the the troll's valley had disappeared.

Jack and Elsa were talking to each other, but Anna had remained silent.

_You okay?_ Kristoff asked. Being careful to block Jack and Elsa from the thought. He wanted to talk to Anna privately.

"I'm satisfactory." She replied curtly.

_Satisfactory?_ Kristoff thought to himself. He, along with Jack and Elsa, had given Anna a speech about using simpler words. So far it had worked, she hadn't used any strange long words for most of their journey . . . Anna only became Ms. Dictionary when she was nervous, annoyed, or upset.

This was bad.

_You sure?_

"Indisputably positive." She responded.

_Uh-huh. You're just . . . quiet._

"Sometimes I find uncommunicativeness gratifying. Why are you so concerned about it?"

_Because it's not like you. You've also seemed tired and nervous lately . . . Anna what's wrong?_

"Nothing's unseasonable with me. I'm just . . . somewhat anxious about Spero. That's all."

_No, it's not._

"Yes, it is. Why do you care?" She snapped.

_I'm your friend and "to care" came in the contract. Seriously Anna, what's so bad that you can't tell even your sister?_

Anna was about to retort, but stopped and looked back at her sister.

Elsa had given a small laugh at something Snow-gee had said while Jack furiously denied it. But Anna knew how nervous they were, she could see it in their eyes. But they didn't know what she knew. They didn't have to see what she saw.

"Look, Kristoff, I'm sorry. It's just that- I mean- I keep seeing." Anna put her head in his mane, not being able to continue. He stayed silent, knowing that being quiet was the best thing he could do right at that moment.

Several minutes passed between them in muteness. Both of them contemplating on what to say. Anna opened her mouth to tell Kristoff something, but a call from Jack made her stop.

"Hey, is that a building?" Anna looked down and her stomach clenched with nervousness.

A huge pavilion stood on the side of the mountain. Its slender marble columns gleamed in the sunlight. Vines climbed up it and several trees had grown through the ancient floor, cracking it. It wasn't long before many other buildings came into view.

Huge and grand, with vegetation everywhere. Crystal clear pools of water scattered the landscape, some pouring into waterfalls. Beautiful flowers bloomed in hundreds of different colors. It wasn't natural. Elsa's arms tightened around Jack's chest.

She could feel the magical energy in this place. It was unnatural. The magic wasn't dark . . . but it was . . . ancient. A chill went up her spine, making her shudder.

"Let's land down there." Anna said, pointing to a small clearing that looked like it used to be a road. Kristoff took no time in getting to the ground and Fortis wasn't far behind.

"Do you guys feel it? The magic?" Kristoff asked, when he was back to his regular self. Jack nodded.

The magic didn't scare him, but it gave one an uneasy feeling. As if they had no idea what they were up against. _Did they?_

"We'll go this way." Anna said gesturing towards where the road led. Jack looked around him.

Tall trees and large colorful flowers surrounded them. The road he stood on was cobblestone and uneven from years of being beaten by Mother Nature. Through the plants Jack could see marble buildings covered with vines. He looked where Anna had pointed to.

A huge temple stood, gleaming in the sun. It was different from the other buildings, no plants grew inside or on it. A radiation of magic came from inside. It had to be something incredibly powerful for him to feel it from where they were. Jack hoped it was just from the amulet and nothing else.

"What about camp?" Elsa asked. Anna flicked her wand and their site appeared in a flash. With that, she started towards the temple. The others glanced at each other.

"Snow-gee, stay here with Fortis, we'll be back soon . . . probably." Jack said, following Kristoff and Elsa as they all started to make their way to the ancient temple.

The tiny snowman and his large friend watched quietly as the dense foliage swallowed up the only family they'd ever known. And there was silence.

* * *

**Okay, so I finished this chapter when I got home at somewhere around midnight. I'll be updating the next chapter soon, I hope. On another note, school's starting soon, so who knows how much I'll be updating considering how long it takes me to get used to the 7****th**** grade whatnot. Quote: ****_"When you truly care for someone, their mistakes never change our feelings because it's the mind that gets angry, but the heart still cares." _****Once again, I don't know who said it. Oh, and yeah, I focused on Kristoff and Anna a little in this chapter.**


	14. Lost

**Hey guys, I just moved into my new room . . . . When was the last time I wrote? Anyway, sorry about this late update, I just can't sit still these days. Ah****,**** well, what can I say? That school is dramatic? **

* * *

The four stared up at the enormous temple. It seemed smaller from camp, but in truth it must have been ten stories high and at least twice that in length. The energy coursing from it made Jack uneasy.

He had never felt such strong magical power before. It seemed to be in and around everything, including him. It wasn't evil, it was . . . ancient and, if anything, it gave him a hopeful feeling. As if everything would be okay in the end.

But that uneasy sensation was still in the back of his mind . . . .

Jack shook his head and stared up at the two huge bronze doors. It was then he saw the words engraved on them.

_Enter, stranger, but take regard_

_That through these doors is a guard_

_There will be no owner for this prize_

_And those who enter will meet their demise_

_So if you seek behind these doors_

_For something that was never yours_

_Thief, you have been warned, and are aware_

_Of finding more than a treasure there_

"Cheerful." Kristoff muttered. Anna shrugged.

"Too late to turn back now . . . several years too late." She said, climbing the stairs. The others followed, their footsteps make soft thuds on the marble.

As Anna reached the top of the staircase, the doors swung open, silently.

Jack's grip on his staff tightened, and he tensed. But nothing happened. No movement came from the doors or behind them and all he could hear was the rustling of the wind through the towering trees.

"That's creepy." Anna finally stated, after several minutes had passed in quiet. Elsa nodded in agreement.

It wasn't long until the others had gotten to the top, and they walked into the temple. There was nothing suspicious inside.

No claw marks, bones . . . nothing. But the interior . . .

A high vaulted ceiling rose high into the air, while huge marble columns stood on opposite sides of the walls. They led up to a stand in the center of the room. But a few things quickly hit him as odd.

The first thing Kristoff noticed, was the heat. It hit him dead on, moist, sticky, and dense. The second was the power.

It came from the center of the temple, where a small, geometrical, rock pedestal stood. Moss grew on the top along with several small flowers, but it was the stone that took his breath away.

It sat gleaming in the dimness, colors swirling inside it. It was smaller than he thought it would have been, maybe the size of the average pebble. But what it lacked in size, it made up in magic.

All four of them ran to the stand, and they encircled it quickly.

A wave of energy crashed into him, giving Kristoff new energy and strength. He took a step forward. He was suddenly full hope. It was strong and it filled him up.

Anna reached out her hand to pick up the necklace, then hesitated. "It's too easy." She whispered, looking up from the necklace.

Jack and Elsa glanced at each other. She was right.

This was_ far_ too easy.

Anna stared at the talisman for several moments, gathering her courage and the hope emitting from the object. She took a deep breath, reached out, and gently picked it up.

The moment the talisman touched her, the light flashed wildly. Colors danced off the walls and brilliant rays lit up the temple, filling it with bright beams. Kristoff felt great for about two seconds.

Then everything went wrong.

The ancient bronze doors slammed shut, and a mechanical click made Kristoff realize they had locked. Locked? _There were no locks on those doors._

Then again magic was weird like that.

Then they heard it.

A slow hiss coming in from in front of the door. The clicking of long talons on marble. A sniff from a creature.

Elsa looked around wildly, her heart pounding. She didn't see anything. There was nothing alive in the temple besides her and the others. She focused her attention back on the doors.

Nothing. But she could definitely hear the thing in front of them, in front of _her_.

A blast of fire suddenly appeared out of thin air.

"Okay. That's bad." Jack said, taking a step back.

But her attention quickly went back to the area between the doors and them. The air rippled. Elsa blinked, thinking she had imagined it. Then it rippled again, and a monster came into sight.

_It can turn invisible. The stupid reptile can turn invisible. _Was the first thought that went through Jack's head. He quickly decided he liked it better when it _was_ invisible.

The scales on its body looked slimy and were a dark yellow. The tail was long and had a barbed end, and the talons at the end of each foot were razor sharp. Then there were the heads. All nine of them.

Each was terrifying. A spiky frill came out of each head, like an ugly crown. Fanged mouths held forked tongues, each flicking in and out every few seconds. Their eyes were a dull green, and full of fury. The head in the middle seemed slightly different.

Its eyes were a fiery orange, and it opened its mouth as if it was about to-

Jack jumped to the side as a blast of fire shot by him. His staff clattered across the floor, stopping near one of the columns. He ran towards it and grabbed the wooden staff just as the hydra let out another blast of fire. Jack ducked behind the column to avoid it.

Elsa was behind the column on his right, while Kristoff was on the left. Anna stood behind the last column, holding the stone to her chest, her breathing heavy.

The hydra's heads could barely fit between the columns, but if they could, their fanged mouths snapped at the teens as the fifth head breathed fire among them.

"Look out!" Kristoff yelled, ducking one of the large heads. The hydra's middle head spewed its fire above Kristoff, scorching Anna's arm.

She cried out, quickly patting out the fire that had hit her. Anna barely noticed it when the necklace flew out of her hand from her desperation of smothering the flames.

The stone sailed through the air, hitting the ground and sliding several feet. It stopped right behind the pedestal.

Jack barely had time to register this before a blast of fire nearly cooked him.

He jumped to avoid it, and ended up landing next to Elsa. He slammed his staff onto one of the creature's snouts. The head quickly retreated, clearly not appreciating being hit with a wooden stick. But it wasn't long until it started its battle with him again.

The head snapped at Jack, nearly biting his arm. Elsa wasn't faring much better, and Kristoff could barely keep the three heads fighting him at bay.

"Anna! Do_ something_!" Elsa yelled, ducking a head. It didn't stop, knowing it would hit the boy.

Jack raised his arm with the staff, as if to protect himself, though he knew it wouldn't help.

Just before the hydra's head hit him, the staff glowed a brilliant blue and shifted into another shape. The shape of a shield.

The head hit the shield and exploded at contact. The temperature of the ice-shield was that cold.

Jack blanched.

_How did _that _happen?! _He thought. _Did the staff just turn into a shield? Did that head explode? Well, of course it exploded, it's gone now. I should probably start fighting so I won't die. Not dying sounds good._

His thoughts suddenly quickened from their slow pace, and he hit the other head attacking him, it exploded into tiny ice shards. The heads . . . .

"What!?" Anna yelled. Jack blinked, realizing that Anna had finally responded to Elsa's question.

"_Anything!_" The girl next to him yelled back. Then a thought struck him.

"The heads, that's the weakness! Go for their heads!" Kristoff yelled, a head disintegrating at his feet, as he had chopped it off. Jack froze.

Heads. There was something in that book about cutting off the heads . . . The information had disappeared from his mind, leaving an empty hole that probably used to hold something important.

Whatever Jack was gonna say about the heads, he never got the chance. Because Anna decided to do _something_. He saw it in slow motion. Anna pointing her wand at the base of the monster's necks. A blast of power emitting from the crystal. Then wind. Jack had heard of winds so sharp, that they could literally cut you. Those stories paled to this.

It came in a single wave, fast, sharp, and deadly. And then they were gone. All of the heads, gone. With a single swoop of Anna's wand.

The creature's body went limp, then fell to the floor._ Thud._ The necks were a tangle of flesh, all in pile, the heads crumbling into a white sand, unlike that of monsters. The heads . . . . Jack knew something was wrong. Very wrong. But he couldn't remember what.

They slowly walked towards it. They stared at it for several seconds.

"Well, we killed it." Kristoff stated bluntly. He had a strange look on his face, as if he knew, too, something was off.

"Yeah, well . . . ." Anna responded, they all turned to get the necklace. Then it hit Jack. What he had forgotten.

"We didn't kill it. We only made it worse." He said his voice hoarse. Elsa froze and turned around to ask what he meant.

But no words came from her mouth. She stood, her eyes slowly filling with horror.

"Was it that, when you cut off a head, two more grow back?" She finally asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Jack whipped around.

Sure enough, there were heads growing back already. Two for each stump. It wasn't long that they had all grown back. All _eighteen_.

The middle ones opened their eyes first and fixed the four with a look that said, _"You're so dead."_

"Look out!" Kristoff yelled, ducking behind a column, as two blasts of fire entered the air.

"You seriously couldn't have remembered this _before now_?!" Elsa yelled at Jack. He glared at her, and ducked a head instead of hitting it with his shield, like he had before.

"I forgot about it before now!"

"You _forgot_!? How could you _forget_ a _single _fact that we might've needed more than any other?" Anna shouted, her voice thick with anger.

"It doesn't matter! How do we _kill_ it!?" Kristoff shouted, interrupting a comeback Jack was forming in his head.

"Don't know!" His friend yelled back. Jack ducked again, barely avoiding another hydra head. He quickly glanced at the necklace, hoping an idea would come to him. One did. Or at least part of one did.

"Alright, I've got a plan!" He shouted, hoping the others heard him over the roars and sounds of metal against talons.

Elsa glanced at him over her left shoulder before slashing out one hydra head's eye. The creature leapt back in pain, and she responded quickly.

"_You've got a plan?!_" She snapped at him. Jack gave her a glare. Sometimes it got annoying when she knew him so well.

"_Fine_, I have_ part_ of a plan! Kristoff create a diversion! Anna be the backup! Elsa help Kristoff distract the thing!" Jack's friends each gave him a glare before leaping into action.

Even though it was incredibly stupid, Kristoff found himself sprinting across the room, quickly grabbing the monster's attention. He ducked behind a column just as a burst of fire shot after him. Kristoff's idiotic idea gave Elsa enough time to gather her bearings and create a bow and several arrows. The teenager ran behind the columns until she was at the last one. Elsa took a deep breath, and stepped out of safety. She raised her bow.

Jack heard the hydra screech in pain, and saw one of the heads writhing in pain. There were arrows where its eyes once were.

He glanced behind him and saw Anna concentrating very hard, her eyes tightly closed. Jack didn't think about it for long, because he knew Kristoff and Elsa couldn't hold off the hydra forever.

Jack raced to where the talisman rested, and swiped it up in a quick, fluid motion. That's when it went all wrong.

"KRISTOFF!" Jack heard Elsa's scream, and whipped around.

Where his friend was once standing, a giant hole gaped from the marble wall, but the hole didn't show the dense forest. It showed open air. The temple was on top of a cliff. And Kristoff had fallen off of it.

Jack's stood in shock for exactly one second. Thoughts tumbling through his mind like a whirlwind. One grabbing his attention when another will grab him back. _He can turn into a bird. But what if he was knocked out? How high is this cliff? What if he's already on his way up? What if he's dead?_

Elsa couldn't move. She could barely breathe. He was _just _there. But now he was gone. Just. Like. That.

She should have seen it coming. She had been slow. It was her fault. Elsa stood there, the rushing of the blood in her ears, the only thing she could hear. At least, it was before Jack's voice cut through the air.

"Duck!_" _Jack shouted. He wanted to run to her, but his feet seemed frozen in place, luckily Elsa's weren't.

She jumped to the side, barely avoiding a head's mouth. She got lucky. Really lucky. Jack's luck however, seemed to enjoy deserting him. So did Elsa's. Slabs of marble had been raining down on the fight, and one had caught the girl on the side of her head. Elsa fell to the ground, dazed.

"_Elsa!_"

The hydra turned to him, attracted by his sudden yell. Its eyes glowing with anger and hatred. It reared back and Jack could see the fire beginning to grow in the thing's throats.

This was it. He was going to die.

Then hope shot through him. The talisman's power had broken through his grief and shock.

Hope that, Elsa was okay. Hope that, Kristoff was alive. Hope that, Anna could fight this thing and win. Hope of, finding the villagers. Hope of, defeating the darkness. Hope of, he would see his mother and Emma again. Hope that, this wouldn't be the end.

The ice cracked the floor, as it came out of the ground. Moving, twisting, and battling the hydra. It rose to the ceiling, slowly pushing the monster away from Jack. It almost seemed to be alive.

The hydra blasted fire at the wall. Jack stared at its terrifying beauty. The flames were twisted by the frozen water, which refused to melt. Shots of orange and red bounced off the blue ice, lighting up the building. Then Jack remembered his friend.

He ran out from behind the ice wall, and sprinted to Elsa, who was recovering from having been hit. A head wound poured blood from right above her ear. Jack quickly created a cloth of ice and pressed it against her wound. The blood soon stopped and Elsa rose out of her daze. She stood up, her thoughts slightly disordered.

"You okay?" He asked, taking her shoulders. Elsa nodded, but looked around confused and panicked.

Where was her little sister?

Then Elsa saw her. Anna was standing in front of the hydra, anger sketched all over her face. Jack's raging wall of ice, ignored by both monster and girl.

Elsa immediately tried to run to her, but Jack held her back. He didn't notice when the necklace slipped from his grasp, and slid across the floor to near the edge of the hole.

"_No! Jack! Let me _go_!_ _I have to get to her! I _can't_ lose Anna _too_!_" Elsa shouted, her voice desperate. Jack pulled her against him, trying not to pass out from the effort of holding her back and trying to get the storm to overtake the hydra.

Then time seemed to stop. At least it did for everybody, but two.

Anna stared up at the hydra. She wasn't changing time, but she knew who was.

The hydra glowered at her for a long time. It looked fearsome. It was cut in several places, and arrows stuck out of a few eyes. But the gaze it gave her now, frightened her so much more than any battle wound.

Silence stretched between them, thick and tense.

_You are a trespasser. You will die for this._

The voice was raspy and dry, like a desert that hadn't gotten rain for eons. It appeared in her mind, like Kristoff's did when he was in animal form. _Kristoff._

Where was he?

Anna looked around desperately, she saw Jack and Elsa. Jack was holding her sister back, with concentration etched on his face. Elsa was frantically trying to get to her little sister, pain in her eyes. It was strange to see them frozen in time. Unmoving. But Kristoff . . .

Then she saw the hole in the marble wall. It was as large as the hydra and led to empty air, a sheer cliff dropping hundreds of feet. Horror spiked through her like lightning.

A small cry escaped her lips. Tears threatened to run down her cheeks and silent sobs racked her body. The grief was overwhelming. _He was gone._

_You are a trespasser._ The hydra hissed again.

Anna stared at it in absolute disgust and anger. It bubbled inside her, like hot lava, but her next words to it surprised her. Her voice was cold and calm.

"How's it trespassing if _we_ were _sent_ by _your_ master?"

The hydra stiffened and snarled at her. Anna could see smoke from inside the two middle heads and a chill went through her as she noticed something else.

Its eyes had turned a dull black, with flecks of green throughout them. Except for the central two. Instead of the fiery orange, they were now blood red.

_You are trespassing. I was told that _no one_ can take the power. Even if you are the Chosen One of Hope, the man in black can twist the minds of mortals. Maybe you're not who you say you are. The talisman will stay here. It will never leave. And neither will you._

Time unfroze and Jack's ice wall collapsed. Elsa and Jack started moving, both dazed from being frozen in time. Anna, however, waited for the strike.

The hydra reared back, ready to blast fire at her. As it lurched forwards, Anna held her wand up in front of her. Praying that her plan would work.

She closed her eyes, when she could see the fire building in the throats of the central heads.

She waited for fire to engulf her, Elsa, and Jack, but the heat didn't come. Anna slowly opened her eyes and gasped.

The hydra was turning into stone. It started with the heads, then moved back. Soon there was no hydra, just a statue of a terrifying monster made of dull gray rock.

Anna gasped for breath. Her heart pounded against her chest. She wanted to cry with relief and scream at the same time. The monster was gone and so was Kristoff.

"Jack!"

Elsa's voice startled Anna, making her jump and whirl around. Jack was on the ground next to her sister, while Elsa knelt next to him, concerned.

"What happened?" Anna asked, jogging towards them. Elsa checked Jack's pulse, worry on her face.

"Jack, t-that wall he made. It must have drained him. He should be fine, he just needs sleep . . . Anna . . ." Elsa didn't continue, she just couldn't say Kristoff's name, so instead she asked a terrible question. "Where's the talisman?"

Anna looked around wildly, fear pounding inside her. The talisman wasn't anywhere to be seen. Her eyes landed on the hole in the wall and the floor around it.

A horrible feeling settled in her stomach.

"Elsa?"

"Yeah Anna?" Elsa glanced up from Jack, and stared at where Anna was looking. The same feeling filled her.

Anna walked over to the edge of the hole, her steps slow. She felt empty.

She stared out at the other side of the cliff, letting the wind blow the strands of her hair that had come loose from her braid blow around. That's when she heard the voice.

_You don't have to continue this fruitless task. The moon has deserted you. He let the boy die. But you don't have to live like this anymore._

The voice was smooth and cool, like black silk.

_The moon has burdened you. He gives you something, then tears it away. It doesn't have to be like that. You don't have to continue giving people false hope, being kind. Because there is no kindness. If there was kindness, the boy would still be with you. But is he?_

Anna stared at the far end of the cliff. It seemed to be getting darker. Then she saw it.

It seemed to be in the figure of a man. She couldn't make out the details. But his voice echoed again.

_Join me, and you don't have to live like this. Nothing would be taken from you. I could bring the boy back._

Anna stared at him for a long time, contemplating what he said. She looked back at her sister and Jack. Elsa was looking at Jack with a gentle expression on her face. Anna made up her mind.

True, she may never see Kristoff again, but there was a chance that he wasn't dead. It was small, but it was a chance. A small sliver of hope.

"No." She replied.

The darkness faded quietly. And for some reason that scared Anna like nothing ever had. She sighed and finally let the tears flow down her face.

The talisman was lost. Kristoff was gone. Jack was knocked out. Elsa had a wound on the side of her head . . .

Then she opened her eyes. She was still here. So was Elsa and Jack. The hydra was dead. _Kristoff could be alive._

She smiled to herself.

It wasn't over.

* * *

**I'm back, hopefully. Sorry about being gone for like . . . ever. Anyway, yeah . . . I made Kristoff fall off a cliff. I regret nothing. Quote: **_**"Tears shed for another person are not a sign of weakness. They are a sign of a pure heart."**_** José N. Harris. Bye, and a thanks for all of those who have waited for this update!**

**P.S. The inscription on the doors is based off of the inscription in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. You know, the one on the doors at Gringotts.**

**P.P.S. The battle against the hydra is based on the hydra battle from the first Percy Jackson movie.**

**Buh-bye!**


	15. Shocked

**Hello . . . Hello . . . Yeah . . . Kristoff fell off a cliff . . . I still regret nothing. **

* * *

Elsa sat next to the fire, leaning against a fallen log and watched the small, sputtering flames. Fortis lay nearby, his wings glimmering from the fire, Snowgee on his head. Anna sat opposite of her sister, silent, eyes filled with grief. A small groan suddenly echoed through Elsa's ears.

Her attention went from the flames, to the boy whose head was on her lap.

Anna had floated Jack to camp before sitting down, the shock finally taking over her. Both Fortis and Snowgee had sensed the anguish, and made no inquiries to what happened. They seemed to have already known.

The girl's hand absentmindedly ran through Jack's hair, making it messier. His face seemed to become more peaceful, less worried. He had been asleep for hours, sometimes mumbling in his slumber.

Elsa let her head fall gently back onto to the log, looking up at the stars. The only sound she heard was the crackling of the fire. The night sky was gorgeous.

Thousands of stars were visible, even though the fire's light made them harder to see. The moon glowed brightly as well, shining with an unearthly light.

Part of her welcomed the beauty, the rest wished it was gray and colorless. After the battle, everything seemed too joyful, too colorful. She had just lost a best friend, welcoming the light and cheer was hard.

"Elsa, I'm going to go get some more firewood, okay?" Anna's voice surprised Elsa, and she glanced at her younger sister.

Anna's eyes were rimmed with grief, but at the same time were deadly strong. Elsa studied her silently before nodding slowly.

"Just take Snowgee and Fortis with you." Elsa told Anna, her voice laced with worry. Anna smiled a little.

"I wasn't going to go alone. Not in this place. Come on guys." With that, Anna got up and started to walk into the woods, her wand her only source of light. Fortis and Snowgee glanced at Elsa. She nodded. Fortis stood, and trotted after Anna, Snowgee hanging on to his ears so he wouldn't fall off.

Eventually the sounds of footsteps crunching on vegetation faded, and Elsa was alone with Jack.

The teen mumbled again in his sleep, and Elsa glanced at him in concern. He'd been out for at least seven hours now, and hadn't shown any sign of waking up.

Elsa's thumb traced his jawline, as she looked back up at the sky. A sudden ache in her head made her wince and Jack stiffened, as if he had felt her pain.

She had put several drops of the extract on her wound, but occasionally a headache would hit her. Elsa closed her eyes and felt the pain lessen. Her eyes went back to the fire.

The orange flames were weak, and flickered like they were about to go out. Like it was too tired to give off any more light. It was very small, barely alive and yet . . . it kept going. For some reason, this reminded Elsa of Anna, and what made her so special.

Her talisman was hope . . . but that wasn't what made Anna, Anna. What made Anna was . . . _kindness._

Pabbie's words rang through Elsa's head as she looked back down at Jack. The girl sighed, and rested her hand against his cheek. He muttered something and tilted his head closer to her palm. A small smile formed on her lips, and her eyes became gentle.

A small flash of light suddenly shone from Anna's bag, and Elsa's heart plummeted. The moonstone.

Slowly, the princess got up and softly laid Jack's head on the ground. The boy didn't stir. Elsa walked towards the sack, opened it, and took the moonstone in one hand.

She stared at it, thinking. Nervousness clawed at her insides, and she bit her lip so hard it almost drew blood.

Finally, she tossed it into the air. The image showed Emma sitting at one of the tables in the main hall. Mrs. Overland, her parents, Rolfe, Tallak, and the mayor's family sat around her.

"Hi, Elsa, how did-" Emma's voice faltered when she saw the state the princess was in.

Elsa's clothes were torn and bloody. Her hair was messier than usual and she looked like she had cried earlier. But her eyes . . . they were dull, full of pain.

The cheerfulness of the small group in Burgess disappeared in less than a second.

"What happened?" The king asked, his voice urgent. "Where's your sister?"

"Anna's collecting firewood." Elsa replied. Part of her was annoyed that her father didn't even ask about the boys, but that thought was quickly cut off.

"What happened to Jack?!" Emma cried, jumping up. Elsa glanced back at the boy before returning her gaze back to the young girl.

"He did magic." Elsa finally said, she looked back at him again then winced. "A lot of magic."

Emma stared at her with big eyes.

"Elsa, _why _did he have to do magic?" Mrs. Overland's eyes remained on her son, fear in her voice. Elsa's mind winced.

"Wait, where's Kristoff?" Rebecca asked. A flash of fresh pain went through Elsa's eyes, she didn't hide it. She looked down.

"We don't know."

Silence.

"What happened to you?" The queen whispered. Before Elsa could answer, another voice cut in.

"Trust me, you don't want to know."

Elsa whipped around. Jack was leaning against the log, a sad grin on his face. His eyes were like Elsa's, filled with hurt.

The princess let out a breath of relief and quickly walked over to him.

As soon as she sat down, Elsa stared at his face hard.

"What?" Jack asked. Elsa punched him in the arm, and she didn't hold back.

"_Ouch!_ Geez, what do I apologize for?! Coming back from the dead?!" Jack asked, rubbing his shoulder. Elsa gave him a glare before leaning against the log.

"_That _was for scaring me _and_ for passing out for _seven hours_." She told him, annoyance in her voice, though her eyes were less sad then they were before. Jack stared at her, shocked.

"_Seven hours?!_"

"Yep."

Jack let out a whistle before glancing at her again.

"How high was the wall?" He asked. Elsa thought for a second.

"About a hundred feet."

"Passed out for seven hours from creating a hundred foot wall . . . _Ouch_."

"_What_ in the _world_ are you two talking about?" Tallak asked, staring at the pair. Jack and Elsa exchanged glances.

"Nothing." They said in unison.

The image flickered softly.

"It's gonna disappear soon. Probably because-" Before Elsa could finish, the image went dark, became a moonstone again, then fell into Anna's open bag. The conversation was over.

Jack glanced at Elsa. "Kristoff?"

The girl shook her head. Jack nodded, feeling even emptier than before. But looking at Elsa's somber eyes, he couldn't bear it any longer. He had to do something about the gloom hovering over them.

Jack sat quietly thinking, then blinked. A sudden realization went through him, and a small smile appeared on his face. He turned to Elsa, a cocky smirk on his face.

"What?" She asked, nervous as soon as she saw the way he was looking at her.

"So I scared you, huh?" Elsa stared at him for a beat, a small blush forming on her cheeks.

"Don't let it get to your head, Frosty." Jack grinned at her.

"Of course not, princess." A small laugh escaped Elsa's lips, and she nudged Jack's shoulder playfully. He grinned at her, but it didn't reach his eyes.

Jack leaned against the log with a sigh. Elsa followed his example, and they both were quiet. A small tear fell from Elsa's eye, Jack turned to look at her. Elsa stared straight ahead.

"You gonna be okay?" Elsa started to nod, then stopped.

"No."

He nodded slowly, as if he understood. Jack grasped Elsa's hand and stared at her for a while. The next time he spoke, his voice was thick.

"Anna's not going to be okay either, is she?" He asked. Elsa shook her head, another tear trailing down her face. Jack's thumb began to trace small circles on her knuckles trying to soothe her.

She kept her eyes trained on the ground. Part of her didn't want him to comfort her, as the guilt was finally catching up to her. _If she had only seen the blow coming-_

All thoughts cut off in the next second, when Jack let his free hand come up to her face and gradually turned her head. He paused, letting his palm cup her cheek, his thumb wiping away the tear that had fallen earlier. She still wouldn't meet his gaze.

Jack carefully tilted her head up, so she had to look at him. She slowly did, and the second their eyes met, he knew what was wrong.

"Hey, it was _not_ your fault." He told her firmly.

Elsa stared at him, unconvinced. Jack shook his head before wrapping his arms around her. Elsa quietly sobbed into his shoulder, and even though he tried to hide it, Jack let his own tears fall.

* * *

Anna's feet dragged slowly on the ground, taking her to who knows where. It was a lie that she was getting firewood, Snowgee and Fortis had figured that out quickly after leaving. In truth, the girl just had to get away, but she didn't know from what.

Fortis gave a small nicker from behind her, and Anna turned her head slightly to glance back at him.

The winged horse had stop, and was giving her a hard stare. Snowgee was also staring at her, his arms crossed.

"What?" She demanded. The two creatures gave her a dirty look. "I'm not going to go far, I promise. I just have to clear my head. Come on, a few more minutes?"

Snowgee and Fortis glanced at each other. Anna had an uncanny feeling that they were communicating with their minds.

The pair glanced back at her. Snowgee gave a small nod. Anna breathed a sigh of relief and began to walk again.

As she made her way through the dense forest, Anna realized that the vegetation had grown considerably thinner. The girl hesitated, before unsheathing her knife and taking several more steps.

Fortis gave another nicker, and Anna paused. She could feel the animal's gaze on her, but she ignored it.

When she took another step, Fortis whinnied quietly. This time Anna turned around.

"Look, just ten more minutes, alright. You two can tag along by all means, but you're going to have to let me take my walk." She told them, her voice showing her annoyance.

A few seconds passed. Finally, Fortis gave a nod.

"Good. Now, let's go-" As Anna turned around, her foot caught on a stone. With a strangled yelp, the girl fell into several bushes, rather ungracefully too.

Anna spat out some waxy leaves before even bothering to look up. When she did, her eyes widened and her mouth dropped.

"F-Fortis, go get Elsa." She managed.

* * *

Jack's arm was around Elsa's waist, her head on his shoulder. They stayed silent, consumed with their own thoughts.

"Would your dad kill me if he saw us like this?" Jack's sudden question made Elsa look up, and a small blush formed on her cheeks.

"Probably, then I'd have to beg him to spare your miserable life." She teased. Jack gave her a grin, stronger than it was before.

"It's not _that_ miserable." He responded, rolling his eyes. Elsa laughed weakly.

"Yeah, but it's not exactly peaceful . . ."

"That's what makes it interesting." She glanced at the fire, suddenly feeling shy. Jack also turned to the orange light, thinking his own confused thoughts. Silence was filled with the crackling sound of wood burning.

"What are your plans . . . after all of this?" Elsa asked him, gesturing with her hand.

Jack looked down at her, surprised. Elsa, however, kept her gaze locked on the fire, resisting the urge to glance at him.

After a few seconds quietly passed, she couldn't handle it anymore and met his questioning gaze.

She blinked when she saw the look on his face. Jack's usual grin was replaced with a nervous air, and he immediately glanced down when she looked at him.

Elsa's eyes didn't leave him. She didn't know _why_ she had to suddenly know the answer to this question, but she _had_ to know what he would say.

Jack, for one of the first times, didn't know _what_ to say. Bulda's words were echoing like bells in his head, while he tried to form an answer.

He quietly glanced back at Elsa.

She was staring at him so intently that Jack swore she was looking right into him. But if he looked closely, he could see the fear behind her gaze.

Unconsciously, Jack's arm tightened around her waist, and he silently stared back at her.

"If . . ." He paused and let one of his hands curl around his staff, which was on the ground next to him. Sensing his unease, Elsa put a hand on his shoulder. "If we get through this-"

"_When_." Elsa told him gently. Slowly Jack nodded.

"When we get through this . . ." His eyes met hers for a second and he faltered.

He knew what he _wanted_ to say, but for some reason he just _couldn't_ say it. And to make it worse, his head was arguing that he_ shouldn't _say it, but his heart was in his throat, _trying _to say it. _Then_ Bulda's words were going off in his head no longer bells, but pounding drums.

_Never say never. Never say never. Never say never . . ._

"I'm not sure, try to live a normal life I guess." Her eyes dimmed a moment, but it wasn't long before Elsa put on her mask to hide it. If Anna were there, she would've slapped the boy. Jack resisted to do that to himself.

"Really, Frosty? You think life will be _normal_ after this?"

"Yep." Jack said, but he was shaking his head at the same time. Elsa smiled at him, it was more real this time.

"Seriously, though . . . . What will you do?" Jack hesitated again, but before he could respond, the sound of pounding hoof beats entered the quiet grove.

Elsa was up by the time Fortis entered the campsite, Snowgee no longer on his head. He seemed nervous, even slightly panicked. The winged horse trotted anxiously in place, his blue eyes were wide.

"Whoa! Easy boy! Easy. _Easy_ . . ." Elsa said slowly as she approached the spooked animal. Carefully she laid a hand on his trembling shoulder. Immediately, Fortis nudged her with his muzzle.

"What's wrong with him?" Jack asked, beginning to stand. But when spots began to fill his vision he sat down. Elsa cast the boy a worried glance while Fortis nudged her again.

"Don't stand for at least ten more min- _Ow!_ _Fortis!_ What is _wrong_ with you?!" The horse had suddenly pulled on her braid, which had caused her cry of pain. He tugged on it again, more gently now that he had he attention.

"Ride him." Jack groaned from the ground. He was still seeing a few stars here and there, but he could make out Elsa and Fortis through the haze.

"What?"

"Something's wrong. You have to get to Anna." He said simply. Jack was losing consciousness, trying to stand had been a bad move.

Elsa began to walk towards him, but Fortis pulled on her braid again. Annoyed, she softly slapped his muzzle away and the horse let go of her. She walked to the teen, and knelt next to him.

"Do _not_ go _anywhere _while I'm gone." Elsa told him, worry in her voice. Jack gave her a small smirk.

"_Really?_ I was going to go skip through a field of flowers while singing cheerful, happy songs. Maybe even make a few daisy chains . . ." His eyelids fluttered closed. Elsa suppressed a giggle.

"I swear, one of the days, Frosty, I'm going to kill you."

"_Please_, you need me." He told her, forcing his eyes open. Elsa laughed.

"No, I just like keeping you around."

"I feel _so_ special."

"Don't die." She said, rolling her eyes at him.

"I'll do my best."

"At living or dying?"

"Whichever her Highness chooses. After all, I'm a worthless peasant under the royal family's command, aren't I?" Jack closed his eyes again. Those words had contained part of his fears, a second passed.

"No, you're much more than that . . . . To me at least." She told him gently. Jack's eyes shot open, all thoughts of passing out were gone, and his pulse accelerated ten times its normal rate. "Promise you won't die?" She changed the topic, feeling slightly embarrassed.

"Promise." His eyes were wide when he looked up at her.

"Pinky-swear?" Elsa asked, holding out her little finger.

"Are you serious?"

She raised an eyebrow. He sighed in defeat.

"Fine, as long as you pinky-swear that we didn't just pinky-swear." Jack told her, as he locked his little finger with hers. Elsa grinned at him.

Then she was gone, Fortis's hoof beats fading away into the silent woods. Jack stared at a random tree, his heart thumping a fast rhythm in his chest that matched Fortis's gallop perfectly.

* * *

Elsa's arms were wrapped around Fortis's neck, the wind whipping her hair around in a wild blur. Tree branches and passing shrubs grabbed at her clothing, ripping it and scratching her face, and she ducked down, trying to avoid the twigs and leaves, burying her face into Fortis's mane. Her heart was pumping a million miles an hour, but not because of the speed they were going.

Elsa couldn't even fight the blush that was spreading across her cheeks. But what she said hadn't embarrassed her, because what she had said was true.

The girl's thoughts wandered from Jack to Anna. _Anna!_

_Oh god._

Before Elsa could panic anymore, Fortis jumped over a patch of bushes, but instead of landing on a forest floor, he landed on stone and stopped.

Elsa glanced up, confused, then her jaw dropped.

"Wow."

In front of her, the main road of Spero lay stretched out.

The buildings were huge, made out of different kinds of marble and, though ancient, were just as grand as they were in their past. Some of the structures had rooves made out of precious metals, which shone even at night. The road itself was lined with shops, apartments, and what used to be gardens, though Spero was now a giant flower-box anyway. The street led up to the largest building, which seemed to be the centerpiece of the forgotten city.

It was circular, and had several steps leading up to a marble deck that went all away around the building. Columns stood every couple of feet around the outside of the porch, vines crawling up their marble length. This wasn't the strange part.

From what Elsa could see, doors of different metals and stones went around the building, the entrances. There were also many verandas, just . . . randomly poking out of the sides of the structure, as if a child had put them there. Then there was the roof. Huge, domed, and made out of . . . gold? Elsa couldn't be sure. It looked like gold . . . sort of.

But that wasn't the strangest thing either, no. The strangest thing about this building was the light coming from its one, large, circular window that sat just above the main entrance, which was made out of the metal the roof was made of.

Elsa didn't have long to ponder this, because that's when Fortis started galloping. And he was going _fast_.

"_Whoa! _Easy boy! Easy!" Elsa yelled, but her words were carried away by the wind. If anything, the horse went faster.

Then it was over. And they were at the bottom of the steps.

Both horse and girl looked up at the grand building. Elsa gulped.

Slowly, the girl dismounted and silently walked up the steps, the only sound was of Fortis's hooves clacking against the marble as he followed.

Eventually they reached the double doors.

Elsa stared at it. It wasn't forbidding, yet . . . She took a deep breath and pushed open the entrance. As the doors opened, she gasped.

It was a library.

Rows upon rows of curved, wooden bookshelves lined the wall, while others encircled the middle of the building. Stairways led to higher levels, and Elsa could see the doors that led to the verandas. But that wasn't what made her gasp.

Magic. Pure magic.

"Oh my god." She whispered.

She had read about it many times, but to actually _see_ it! The magic floated through the air, splitting off and colliding randomly, sometimes forming patterns, animals, and strange objects. It looked like pure light, and moved like water or silk. The power radiating off of it was unreal, and as she looked at it, Elsa felt something tug at the back of her mind. Like an old memory . . .

Fortis nickered, bringing Elsa out of her trance. The girl shook her head, and looked back at him.

"Right. Let's go." She told him and they began their way through the library.

For some reason, Elsa knew she had to go to the center of the room, and she resisted the urge to run around and explore the vast library. And that was becoming extremely difficult, as the bookshelves didn't hold _just_ books.

All sorts of strange instruments and small machines lay upon the shelves. Magnifying lenses, small vials filled with startling bright liquids that bubbled, weather manipulators, and globes of worlds known and unknown. Not to mention the book titles. They were strange and bizarre, and Elsa would gladly read all of them.

The books were written in all different languages, like Latin, Italian, Butterfly, French, Owl, Ancient Greek, Glowworm, Centipede, and Atlantean. But the titles that the girl did understand were a weird kind of wonderful. There were books called _The Mermaids of Zanzibar: A Guide_, or _How to Avoid the Pirates of the Yangtze River_. It took a great deal of Elsa's willpower to not grab every book that caught her eye. And there were _many_ books, yet the girl kept walking forward.

As she neared the middle of the room, a large crash echoed throughout the building followed by a string of curses. The voice sounded so familiar . . .

"Anna!" Elsa practically shouted her sister's name, and her soft footsteps turned into pounding strides as she ran. The girl sprinted into the center of the library and nearly collided with her little sister. It took several seconds for Elsa to regain her balance and actually take a look around.

Red chairs, couches, and several pine tables gave the place a cozy feeling, and there was even a stone fireplace embedded into one of the bookshelves. Above the fireplace a clock ticked away, while an old looking piano stood near the hearth, the dark wood reflecting the flames. Then there were the books.

Piles and piles of books, laying everywhere. On the tables, chairs, even stacked on the mantle of the fireplace, which, in Elsa's opinion, was a bit of a fire hazard, as the flames would flare to an enormous height every few seconds. There was also a pile that looked as if had just been toppled . . . Elsa gave Anna a dirty look.

"Yes?" The younger girl asked, playing innocent.

"Firewood. You just had to get firewood. How did you manage to find _this_ instead?!" Elsa cried out, gesturing to the library.

"I have many talents." Anna replied, her voice cheerful. Elsa took a step back and carefully looked over her sister.

The magic had given her strength. Anna's eyes, though rimmed with sadness, were full of her usual hope and joy. She stood straight, a small book in her arms, a smile on her lips.

"You okay?" Elsa asked her quietly. Anna's eyes dimmed for a second and she shook her head.

"No, but I will be. He would've wanted that . . ." Refusing to spiral into grief again, Anna changed the subject. "How's Jack?" Elsa studied her for another second before answering.

"He's awake . . . took him long enough." Anna giggled at that, Jack was never easily woken up. " . . . Anna . . . I talked with Burgess . . ."

"Oh." Anna's eyes met the ground quietly. "Did _they_ ask?"

"About us. He didn't give a thought to them." Elsa replied, her tone had become colder.

She didn't know why it bothered her so much when her parents didn't ask about Jack or Kristoff. It just _did_.

"Okay . . . _soooo_ . . ." Anna gave Elsa a smirk. "What did you and Jack do when he woke up?"

Elsa blinked at her, trying to ignore the blush crawling up her cheeks.

"Did you confess your undying love for each other!? Did you kiss?! Did you- no, don't tell me you went farther than _kissing_!?" Anna raised an eyebrow on the last word.

"Oh god, we just talked!" Elsa told her, the small blush had become a blazing red. Anna sighed and pouted.

"There's got to be more than that!"

"Fine, our very _souls_ connected!" Elsa responded dramatically, putting a hand over her heart. Anna gave her a glare.

"Really?" Elsa smiled cheerfully at her sister.

"SNOWGI!" Both girls jumped at the shout. It had come from . . .

The sisters both glanced at the pile of books Anna had knocked over.

"Uh-oh." Anna said.

Snowgee had finally made it through the heavy volumes he'd been buried under, and he was not happy to see that neither one of the girls had tried to help him.

As the snowman began to rant at Anna, Elsa walked towards Fortis, who had been quietly standing in the background the whole time.

"Go get Jack, he'll be able to ride now, I think."

With that, the horse nodded and galloped towards the main doors. His hoof beats echoing off the marble walls along with Snowgee's yells and the sisters' giggles.

* * *

Jack stared up at the night sky, in some form of shock. Elsa's answer had been going in a loop throughout his head ever since she had left. A grin began to form at the corners of his mouth, and Jack quickly reminded himself of reality. She was a princess.

He sighed.

The night sky was unusually clear that night. Not a single cloud. This made the moon seem even larger than normal and it seemed to fill the sky with it's light. Jack let his eyes close, deep in thought.

The stillness of the night was suddenly broken by the rustling of leaves. In a second, Jack was up, staff in hand. Though he no longer felt dizzy, using his powers wouldn't be the smartest move. This would have to be a battle with a sword.

Jack felt the weight of the staff in his hand, change. Surprised, he looked down to see that there was his regular sword in hand.

He glanced back up when the rustling became louder, the grip on his sword becoming tighter. Jack stared at where the rustling had come from for a long time. Then he saw it.

He couldn't make out any details, but the figure seemed to be big, and tall. Jack's eyes narrowed. The figure kept coming forward, showing no sign of fear. Jack raised his sword, preparing to fight as the stranger walked into the firelight.

That's when he dropped the sword.

Shaggy blond hair, brown eyes, it was _him_.

"Hey, man." He said grinning. Jack gaped.

"_Kristoff?!_"

* * *

**Oh, come on! You guys didn't **_**really **_**think I would kill off **_**Kristoff**_**! I mean, he's **_**Kristoff.**_

** Anyway, it's been awhile, huh?**

** Let's see what's happened . . .****THANKSGIVING IS COMING! I'M SO EXCITED! THANKSGIVING MEANS PUMPKIN PIE, APPLE PIE, VANILLA ICE-CREAM, APPLE CIDER, PUMPKIN PIE- wait I already said that. Oh well. (:**

**Quote: **_**"Look back, and smile on perils past." **_**Walter Scott.**

**Tell me what you think of this chapter and what you think will happen next . . . . .**


	16. Offers and Light

** Hi….. So….yeah it's been a while…..yeah…**

* * *

Jack wasn't exactly sure what he was going to be up against. Monster, definitely. Best friend? That was something he hadn't been expecting. And, being who he was and knowing what he knew, Jack's thoughts went from shocked to defensive in a microsecond. The boy quickly picked up his weapon and raised it threateningly.

Shapeshifters were a rather nasty group of monsters, and they usually took the form of whatever would strike a painful string in their victim's heart. However, they were also rather unstable, and it was a challenge for them to hold a specific form for several minutes. And that was why Jack was surprised when he saw 'Kristoff' acting completely at ease, if not having his usual awkwardness.

The blond tilted his head at Jack when the teen raised his sword, but leaned against a tree as if hadn't a care in the world. This made Jack blink, but he kept his blade up.

"So . . . how you doin?" Kristoff began, uncomfortably giving Jack a small wave. The other boy didn't answer, and gave Kristoff a weird look. Kristoff cleared his throat, and glanced around the camp nervously.

The seconds ticked by, tense and distrustful.

"All right, who-or what- are you?" Jack finally asked, his sword shining from the firelight. Kristoff stared at him in confusion, at least until it clicked that Jack thought he was some man-eating monster.

"What? It's me, Kristoff Bjorgman! Your _best friend_! Known you since we were eight years old! Helped you escape from Rebecca countless times! Got into trouble with you for years! Who else could it be?!" The boy said this in a mixture of shock and hurt. Jack, however, only lowered his sword slightly, suspicion in his eyes. Kristoff stared back, wounded.

Jack's mind searched for a question that only Kristoff would know the answer to. He came up blank for several seconds. Still thinking, his eyes wandered around the camp until they landed on Anna's 'infinity sack' as she called it. _Anna._

"If it really is you . . . how do you feel about Anna? What do you know about her? What's her favorite color?" Jack tilted his head lightly, giving Kristoff a triumphant smirk.

Kristoff felt his cheeks turn red, and gave Jack a glare. The boy glanced down at his shoes, and tried to think of an answer.

_Anna, Anna, Anna . . . . . ._ She loved flowers, dancing, and chocolate, but one could figure that from knowing her for only a few seconds. He had known her for _nine years_.

Kristoff bit his lip. Jack raised his sword. After several moments of silence, the blond answered the question.

"Her favorite color is green, and not the normal green, no. More like a spring green, the color of new leaves or the stem of a tulip. At least, that's how she'd describe it." He blinked realizing how much he actually thought about the girl, and how much he knew about her. The teen's mind hesitated before going deeper into thought. Jack's sword lowered slightly. Then, before he could lose his nerve, Kristoff blurted out everything he knew.

"She doesn't really like the platinum streak in her hair, and pulls on it whenever she's bored. Her favorite food besides chocolate is krumkake, and her least is artsoppa. When she's happy she becomes crazy giggly. She has super sister promises with Elsa. And when she smiles . . ." Kristoff felt a small grin on his own face appear. Jack stared at him shocked.

"Oh yeah, you got it _bad_." Jack said, finally lowering his sword all the way, propping it up against the log, and sitting down. Kristoff gave him an annoyed glance as he also took a seat on the cold ground.

"You're one to talk." Kristoff mumbled. Jack merely shrugged and took sudden interest in a speck of dirt on his knuckles.

A small humming sound stopped Kristoff from continuing. The sound was a low buzz, the kind that seems to appear out of nowhere and doesn't go away. Jack's head whipped to the sword next to him.

Tendrils of blue light appeared to come out of the metal, and began swirling around the blade. The sword began to change, the blade becoming hooked on the end and the handle disappearing. Instead of a broad-edged sword, a wooden staff now leaned against the fallen tree. The blue lights flickered for a few more seconds before blinking out. Both boys stared at the weapon.

"That new?" Kristoff asked.

"Yep."

"Okay, then." With that they both turned their attention to the other.

"How are you alive? You fell off a cli-" Jack began, but his friend cut him off.

"After I woke up after being knocked out, I was somewhere far down river, cause there was a ravine at the bottom of the cliff, and this-" He held up something in the firelight. "was lying in my hand. It's a long story after that." It was the necklace.

Jack opened his mouth, but nothing came out. The silver chain winked at him in a mocking way. The actual stone was far dimmer than when he had first seen it, however, Jack could still make out the colors. After several seconds he found his voice. "Okay, wow. So you're not dead _and _you have the stone. Huh. This isn't such a bad day after all."

Kristoff responded with a grin and rubbed the stone with his thumb. Furrowing his brow he spoke, "I had help. I would have died from the fall alone, but I didn't. What even happened? I can't remember . . ."

He was holding back information, they both knew it, but Jack only shrugged. "Oh, you know, you were only hit by a very angry hydra head, crashed into a thick marble wall, and tumbled off an enormous cliff." He shook his head. "And, I _would_ appreciate it if you didn't try to die again. Anna's like a sister and all and Elsa is . . . Elsa, but I don't think I would be able to stay sane for the rest of this quest thing if you were dead."

"_Elsa is Elsa?_ You're in love, admit it." Kristoff gave him a cheeky grin. Jack shook his head.

"You're missing the point, no more near death attempts. Not just for my sanity, but for Anna too. From what Elsa's told me she's in depression."

Kristoff winced, but sat up as if he had a moment of clarity. "Where are they anyw-"

"Anna went to go get firewood, she got in trouble, and Elsa went after her, that's the extent of my knowledge." Jack answered. Kristoff slowly nodded and relaxed. Jack glanced at the gem in his friend's hand again.

He couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed. They risked their lives for a little stone, it didn't seem right. Why would someone go through all the trouble of creating something that could be beaten and not have a backup plan for protection?

Jack knew he was on the verge of something very important, but that he didn't know enough. And this annoyed him. It annoyed him a lot.

"Anyway, I woke up probably a few minutes after being knocked out." Kristoff said, nervously looking at his friend. Jack stared at him in shock.

"So you just let us think you were _dead_!?"

"No!" His voice was filled with guilt. "Well-"

A snap echoed through the woods. Both boys froze. Jack slowly took his staff in one hand, while Kristoff reached for the ax in his belt.

A hiss filled the air, it reminded Jack of snakes. Carefully the teens stood. The hiss faltered before becoming louder. Then the sound of pounding.

The hissing noise was gone in a second, while the pounding rhythm grew closer. Jack relaxed when he recognized the sound. It wasn't long before Fortis emerged from the trees.

"Anna and Elsa?" Jack asked the animal. Fortis responded by looking back over his shoulder. Jack nodded before glancing around the camp.

The girls had taken down the tents, so really it was just the fire and a couple of logs. As Kristoff put out the flames, Jack swung Anna's bag onto his shoulder and mounted Fortis, his staff had disappeared several seconds ago.

It had happened before on several occasions. Whenever he needed it, the staff would appear out of seemingly nowhere. And when he had no use for it, it vanished.

Jack glanced down at Kristoff, and wasn't surprised when he saw a golden horse instead. Patting Fortis, Jack said, "Alright, bud. Which way?"

Fortis took off so fast, Jack nearly fell off. Leaning forward, the boy grabbed the horse's mane. Underbrush and trees flew by as they made their way through the forest. Then, instead of the soft rhythm of hooves against leaves and grass, a hard clattering sound met Jack's ears, and Fortis's gate shifted slightly.

Confused he glanced up, and nearly fell off the horse again. It was Spero.

The buildings were grand and seemed to have precious gems inlaid in their walls. Flowering vines hung from columns and verandas. The moonlight made it all gleam, as if in a fairytale. But the centerpiece was what had caught Jack's eye. A colossal domed building with a large circular window, seemed to stand out from the other structures. Not to mention the bright light streaming out of the window.

As the building grew nearer, Fortis finally slowed down, going into a canter instead of a hard gallop. Eventually, the trio reached the steps that led up to double doors of the building. Quickly Jack dismounted and practically bounded up the stairs, Kristoff right behind him.

They both hesitated at the door. It was made out of a metal that neither could identify and was bigger up close, towering several feet above Kristoff. A whinny from Fortis made the boys gather up their courage and push open one of the doors.

Their entrance wasn't grand. The door swung open easily and silently. Cautiously the three entered the building. Jack's jaw dropped.

Bookshelves curved in circular patterns throughout the room. Staircases led up to verandas and higher levels of the building that overlooked the main lower level. The stone floor wasn't dusty, as it should have been from being abandoned for centuries. And Jack could hear a crackling of a fire nearby. But, like Elsa, his attention soon went to the magic floating through the air.

It was nearly white, but had a golden tint, as if sunbeams had been mixed with light. A large shapeless mass of the stuff turned into a group of angel fish and swam through the air towards the three.

One fish came close to Jack and paused in front of him. Quietly, the teen raised a hand and let one of his fingers stroke the magic.

It felt like . . . sand . . . or dust. The fish quickly rejoined its group, which was now swimming around Kristoff's head, leaving Jack's hand suspended in midair. Jack stared at his fingers.

They were speckled with particles of the magic sand, and shimmered a little in the light. Jack gave a small shrug, and blew the dust off his hand before glancing back at Kristoff. The fish were now darting around him, as if they were playing a strange game of tag.

A sudden thud made them all jump, and caused the fish to disappear in a flash. Jack and Kristoff whirled around to their left.

Elsa stood there with wide eyes, a pile of books at her feet. She made no move to pick them up.

"Hi." Kristoff said awkwardly, and gave a little wave.

Elsa made a sound that was either "meep" or "help", before backing up so fast she ran into the bookshelf behind her. Slowly she sank down to her feet.

Jack could barely stifle a grin as he walked over and offered her a hand, which Elsa accepted. As Jack hauled her to her feet, Kristoff picked up the books she had dropped.

"So . . . uh . . . I'm not dead. Yay." Kristoff grinned. Elsa stared at him in shock, then rubbed her temple.

"I'm not seeing things, right?" She asked herself. The older boy shook his head. A second later Kristoff found himself crushed in a hug. Elsa gave him a sheepish grin and quickly let go before picking up the fallen books he had dropped. "Sorry, but, _oh my gosh! How!?_ I mean you fell- you were- I should've-"

"It wasn't your fault." Kristoff interrupted. Elsa hesitated before nodding, and stood, her arms filled with books.

"But, _how?_" She asked. Kristoff shrugged.

"Woke up on a river bank, this was in my hand." The boy reached into his pocket and brought out the necklace. The books suffered another fall.

Elsa stared at both boys in shock. "That's the- it's the- wow." She broke into a grin of disbelief, before gathering up the books and walking over to a small table and setting them down.

"Hey, where's A-" Jack began, but he was interrupted.

"This way, she's sleeping." Elsa told him, with a weak grin. She turned around and started walking into the maze of bookshelves. Jack shrugged and followed, Kristoff hesitated. He would be facing _Anna_.

She was good at hiding her frustration until it all came bursting out, and there was no reason for her to be angry with Jack or Elsa. He had left her in pain for hours, and though he was back, he felt terribly guilty. And nervous, really nervous.

Fortis either didn't care or didn't notice, because he shoved Kristoff forward with his muzzle. The boy sighed in defeat and followed his friends, figuring he should tell them he had wasted several hours looking for someone who might not even exist.

As he caught up with them Jack turned his head and asked, "So what were you doing these past few hours since you've been awake? Since you didn't come back?" Elsa whirled around so fast, Jack jumped backwards so they wouldn't collide.

"_You what!?_" She screeched at the eldest boy.

Kristoff shot Jack a glare that clearly read either, '_Thanks_' or _'Why did you bring this up now?' _Jack responded with an innocent shrug. Elsa looked like she wasn't going to give Kristoff another hug any time soon.

"I wanted to come back the second I was awake, I did. I'll explain the rest later." He responded meekly. Elsa stared at him.

If this boy didn't have a good reason to have put a knife in her sister's heart, she'd freeze him solid. Anna had been worried sick, and to find out Kristoff could've come back just like that, hurt her as well.

"Are you out of your _mind_?!" She said slowly, but nearly yelled the last word.

"No- I'm mean yes- No, I-" It was hard for anyone really to be able to answer Elsa when she was angry. Jack tried to blend in with the bookshelf.

"Don't you have any idea what she's been going through?!" She hissed at the pair. Elsa was met with blank stares. "Well, obviously she's upset about Kristoff, and therefore confused about how she feels about him, guilty that we left nearly everybody we cared about back in Burgess, conflicted about this whole quest thing, and terrified about what she's feeling because of what happened to you." She finished pointing at Kristoff.

"How can one person feel all that?" Jack asked staring at her.

"Just because _you_ can barely manage one emotion . . ." She trailed off, rolling her eyes. Elsa turned back to Kristoff, who now looked very nervous. "The point is, it's hard to say what she'll do when she sees you."

"Won't she be happy to see him? I'm mean, he's _alive_." Jack asked bluntly. Elsa stared at him for several seconds before turning around and stomping off, muttering something about "guys" and "girls" and "idiots". Both boys glanced at the other and decided to catch up. Fortis, however, sensed trouble, and walked off into a different part of the library to find Snowgi, who seemed to be the only one who was still sane.

Elsa rounded the corner of a bookshelf and paused. Jack walked passed her and looked around the seating area.

Several chairs and tables were scattered around the space, making the atmosphere cozy. A stone fireplace was seemingly carved into one of the bookshelves and nearby a piano stood, its dark wood gleaming. Jack felt his fingers twitch.

It had been a while since he last played, and only Kristoff, Emma, and his mother knew he could. It had been one of his father's wishes that Jack learned to play the piano, and his mother had made sure he had. Other than the piano and his flute, a guitar was the only thing he could play.

He grinned, remembering how long it had taken Kristoff to teach him how to play the stringed instrument. The girls knew he could play the guitar, but he never told them about the piano. Even Kristoff had found that out by accident, walking in on him as he was practicing. He never mentioned it. It brought back too many painful memories of his father.

Jack shook his head, breaking his thoughts, and glanced around the room again, finding Anna.

She was curled up in a ball on one of the red chairs, not snoring like she usually did. Not even her hair was in its usual bed head. It didn't seem like Anna.

Jack quietly walked towards the sleeping girl, and gently shook her arm. The girl didn't stir until he had said her name several times. "_Anna!_"

She slowly blinked her eyes open, then widened them when she saw Jack. "What's wrong? Is everything okay?"

"It's all fine. Better than fine, actually. I'm good. There's someone here."

"What? Who are you talking abou-"

She saw Kristoff. He stood awkwardly, shoulders slumping slightly. Jack backed away from the now awake Anna, and both he and Elsa tried to disappear into the shadows.

Anna got up from the chair and walked to the older boy with a trance-like quality, her eyes on his face. She stopped in front of him, her eyes wide, lips slightly parted. Kristoff gave her a weak grin.

Anna threw herself at him and began to punch with everything she had in her small body.

"Ow-hey-getoff! What-? Anna-OUCH!"

"You-are-such-a-jerk-Kristoff-Bjorgman!" She added a blow to his chest with each word. Kristoff backed away, raising his arms to cover his head as Anna advanced.

Jack and Elsa watched silently. Then, suddenly, Elsa darted to one of the tables and picked up something before coming back to him. Jack raised an eyebrow. Elsa held up her prize. It was Anna's wand. Of course the other two teens didn't see this at all.

"How-dare-you-come-back-here-and-expect-me-to-just-be-okay-after-you-let-me-think-you-were-dead-for-hours-_and, oh, where's my wand?!_" Anna whipped around to the table, and when she saw it wasn't there, she glanced at Jack and Elsa with murderous eyes.

Jack quickly raised his hands, as if in surrender, but instead an ice wall shot up between Anna and Kristoff. The force knocked them both to the ground. The red-headed girl jumped back up, and looked like she might claw her way through the ice.

"Anna!" Elsa shouted. "Calm-"

"I will not calm down!" Her sister screamed. Jack had _never_ seen Anna lose control like this before, he decided she looked quite psychotic. "Elsa, give me back my wand! Give it to me!"

"Anna, please-"

"Don't you _dare_ tell me what to do, Jackson Overland!" She shrieked. "Don't you dare! And YOU!"

Anna pointed at Kristoff, her whole body trembling with rage. Jack couldn't blame him for backing up several steps, he and Elsa had done the same thing.

"You march in here and expect me to be fine, and welcome you back!? Do you have any idea what I've been through!? Not to mention you waited several hours until you decided it was even worth it!" Kristoff wondered how she knew that last bit.

"Look, I know. Anna, I really am sorry-"

"You're _sorry_!" She let out what could have been a laugh, but Jack wasn't sure, it was too high pitched and out-of-control. Kristoff glanced at Elsa, but she simply winced.

"You let me think you were dead -_dead_\- and you think it'll be okay if you just say _sorry_?"

"What else can I say?" Kristoff shouted back, and Elsa was glad to see he was now fighting back.

"Oh, god, I don't know!" Anna screamed, sarcasm dripping from her words. "That you didn't consider what they offered you-"

"Anna," Elsa interjected, hoping to quell the angry inferno that was her sister, "he has the-"

"I don't care!" The other girl screamed. "I don't care what he's done! He thought about their offer and we could have been _dead _for all he knew-"

"I knew you weren't dead!" Kristoff shouted, drowning out Anna's voice for the first time. He approached her as close as he could with the ice between them. "They're all talking about us! They've been looking for you everywhere, I would have heard. I would have _known_ if you were dead! You don't what it's been like-"

"What it's been like for_ you_?" Anna's voice was so shrill that only bats would be able to hear it, but she had reached a level that had rendered her temporarily speechless, and Kristoff took the opportunity.

"I wanted to come back the second I woke, but I had been found by a group of Takers, Anna, and I couldn't escape!"

"A group of what?" asked Elsa, as her sister threw herself onto a chair and crossed her legs and arms so tightly that Jack worried if should would cut off her own circulation.

"Takers," Kristoff responded. "A new kind of gang, they're everywhere from what I heard. Groups of demons, vampires, warlocks, even humans, that try to earn gold by kidnapping people and others, then they sell them to Pitch-"

"Who?" Jack interrupted.

"Pitch, he's the evil in the prophecy." Kristoff said bluntly, as if this was obvious information.

"How do you two know all about this?" Elsa asked looking at her friend then to her sister.

"I overheard, I guess Anna sees it." The blond glanced at the girl, but she stared a foot over his head. "Right, well, I was weak, and barely managed to hide the stone on me before I was captured. They held me captive, for about four or five hours at their base camp before giving me an offer," Kristoff took a deep breath, "they offered to let me to join Pitch." Silence.

"But . . . you obviously said no." Jack stated slowly. Kristoff shifted.

"Eventually."

"Eventually?" Elsa's voice was a little cold. Kristoff nodded guiltily.

"They offered to bring my parents back." Another silence, but this time it was from shock. Even Anna let her eyes look over him.

Kristoff _never_ talked about his parents. It was too painful a wound, so the subject was avoided. The only time he had ever talked about them openly was several years ago, when he shared that if concentrated very hard for hours on end, he would be able to come up with memories of the night Viessa had murdered them.

He said all he could remember were voices screaming, maniacal laughter, and a blinding flash of white light. He didn't have anything else about them to remember than that.

"I told them, to let me think about it for a couple of hours."

"And you did." Jack said quietly. Kristoff nodded. "But . . . if you were captured, how did you escape, change your mind, find us?"

"That's something I would like to know." Anna finally spoke, but her voice was hard and bitter. "How exactly did you find our campsite tonight? You were miles away, once we know that we'll be able to make sure we're not visited by anyone else we don't want to see."

Kristoff glared at her, then pulled something out of his fur-coat's pocket. "This."

She finally looked right at him to see what he was holding.

"The necklace?" She asked, so surprised that she dropped her fierce look.

"It doesn't just sparkle and look pretty," said Kristoff. "I don't know how or why it happened right then. Because I had already been captured for hours, and it hadn't done anything. But I was sitting there, chained to a post, thinking about their offer and I heard . . . I heard you."

He was looking at Anna.

She stared at him incredulously.

"I heard you coming out of my jacket. It was your voice," he held up the necklace again, "that came out of this."

"And what did I say?" Her tone slightly curious, but still doubting.

"My name. And you said . . . something about the offer I was given . . ."

Anna turned pink. Both Jack and Elsa glanced at her in confusion, until Elsa remembered something.

_She had just started to open an interesting book, Anna was sleeping on her chair, when she heard her sister mumble Kristoff's name, and something about 'don't take it'._

Elsa had thought it was dream her sister was having, but she now realized that Anna had seen Kristoff's whole ordeal.

"So I took this out," he glanced at the stone, "and it didn't look any different, but I knew I had heard you. And for some reason, I held it in the moonlight that had managed to make its way through the trees. And the light dimmed, but a different light appeared right in front of me."

Kristoff's eyes focused on something that none of the others could see.

"It was a ball of light, it pulsed like a heartbeat, and it was bluish, like those lights that appear around Jack's staff when it changes form, you know?"

"Yeah." Jack quickly answered, before the girls could ask.

"I knew it was all the help I would get. I was able to snap the chain and got away without them even noticing. The little ball of light was hovering by the river, waiting, and when I got close it bobbed a bit, then it, well . . . it went inside me."

"Sorry?" Elsa asked, not sure if she correctly heard him.

"It kind of floated towards me," Kristoff explained, he used his index finger as an example and traced the movements, "right to my chest, and then it just kind of entered me. It was here," he touched the part of his chest above his heart, "It was a little warm and immediately I knew where to go. So I just turned into a bird and flew. I didn't know where I was going, just that I would find one of you. The only thing I don't know is who saved my life when I fell."

Deciding it was at last safe, Jack removed the ice wall between the two. Anna stared at Kristoff with doubt and, wordlessly, he tossed the necklace onto her lap.

Gingerly, she picked it up, and the stone's colors brightened immediately. Silently, Anna undid the chain and fastened the necklace around her neck. Then without another word, she turned on her side and settled down for sleep.

Elsa laid her sister's wand on a nearby table, and turned towards the two boys who were now standing quietly, not sure on what to say.

"_That_ went far better than I thought it would." She murmured.

"It could've been worse. Remember when she turned Jack into a newt." Kristoff muttered. The other boy shot him a glare and was about to retort, but was interrupted.

"Don't give me any ideas." Anna's muffled voice came from under a pile of blankets that used to lay on the back of the chair, but Elsa saw Kristoff smiling softly as he lay down on a sofa. It wasn't long before both were asleep.

Jack glanced at Elsa, he knew that he wasn't going to be able to sleep and neither was she. Slowly she turned to him with a sly grin. "So what now?"

"Why do I have this feeling that no matter how much I protest you're gonna drag me around this whole library until we find out who this so called Pitch is?" He answered her question with a question.

Rolling her eyes she grabbed his hand, and ignoring how this made his pulse beat faster, he let her drag them both into their strange new sanctuary.

* * *

**Okay, I know it's been ages since I last updated. My excuse is school work. That's my say. ****And can anyone guess where I got some of the scenes in this chapter? (;**

**Quote: **_**"No matter who you are or where you are, instinct tells you to go home." **_**Laura Marney.**

**P.S. I should be writing more now, you guys have guilted me into it. Bye!**


	17. AUTHOR'S NOTE

**AUTHOR'S NOTE THAT YOU NEED TO LOOK AT**

So guess who decided to start writing this fic again? Yeah.

On that note, I'm going to be rewriting it. Now, don't flip out on me, the **plot isn't going to change**. Mostly I'm just going to be adding some filler chapters that flesh out the characters' relationships more.

And I'm going to bring in some new characters and changing the mode of transportation. Also, if you've read the books, then you'll know about this funny little thing called time travel that may or may not appear later on...

However, first I'm going to write all the rewritten chapters before I post them, so I'll try to get them up as soon as I'm done.

...and i'm sorry for suddenly pulling this one out from under you all...but do i think i'll regret it? Nope. 


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